The Lantern-carrying Elder's pupils were deep, calm, and profound, as if they could pierce through the mist and witness reality.
"My master, I wish to go to a place I must be, to better familiarize myself with this world."
"The outside world is tumultuous and noisy."
"Many eyes are upon our Land of Origin."
"In fact, some of our own have already been imprisoned, enslaved, and controlled by them."
"I need to explore and understand this world from within your domain."
"When the time is right, I will appear where I am needed."
Zorn nodded slightly.
The advantage of choosing the Lantern-carrying Elder was that this wise old man could always proceed in his own fashion.
After "Zorn Corick" activated all of the former Four Knights,
the other three Guardians fell in the final verse of their downfall.
Only the Lantern-carrying Elder survived.
In the chapters that followed, the Lantern-carrying Elder, a pivotal boss, took ample revenge on "Zorn Corick."
Many experienced Players even fell at the hands of the Lantern-carrying Elder, rendered down into lantern oil.
Unfortunately, this elder who pierced the mist with his Lantern's faint light, who once illuminated the path forward for "Zorn Corick," ultimately died at the hands of the second World-level boss.
After studying the Lantern-carrying Elder for a moment, Zorn slowly withdrew his gaze.
He, too, had once fallen at the hands of the Lantern-carrying Elder and become part of his lantern oil.
He knew the Lantern-carrying Elder's methods all too well.
"You have my permission to act independently, but I need you to use your Lantern to anchor that remnant."
Zorn pointed to an inconspicuous piece among the many remnants.
The Lantern-carrying Elder glanced from the remnant to his master.
He didn't ask any questions. Instead, he patted the Lantern in his hand.
A flame the size of a candlewick leaped from the Lantern and plunged into the squirming, blood-red remnant, disappearing without a trace.
"Can you feel its presence?"
Zorn asked.
"I can."
The Lantern-carrying Elder gave a slight nod.
"Good."
Zorn said softly.
"At the proper time, your flame will illuminate his path to death."
The Lantern-carrying Elder paused. He then narrowed his eyes, his gaze deep as he looked at his master.
"Master, your gaze is sharper than the light of my flame."
After bowing to Zorn, the Lantern-carrying Elder transformed into a streak of brilliant light, shooting like a meteor through the Black Mist and down toward the serene, blood-colored earth.
With that done, Zorn's gaze fell upon the depths of this secret, profound Black Mist.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart.
This Calamity Origin Land concealed a great secret.
But in the current Era Era, this great secret was beyond anyone's perception or insight.
And he was in perfect control of this secret.
He hesitated for a moment in the depths of the Black Mist, then shook his head.
'Now... is not the time.'
'If I make a move, the other Evil Spirits will notice.'
'Right now, I'm only Level One. I'm no threat to them at all.'
'I'll have to wait until I at least advance to the Middle Rank Level—Level Seven, or even Level Eight—and possess the Ability to forge a [Miracle Creation]. Only then will it be time for me to use the resources here.'
'But before that, I need to help Blood Shadow Rose open the passage to the Secret Land.'
'For the time being, my main focus will be to raise my Level.'
Zorn then turned his gaze back to the piece of flesh and blood that the Lantern-carrying Elder had marked, and stood there in silence.
The entire Calamity Origin Land fell once more into a deathly silence. Only the remnants of flesh and blood—the kind that would bring death, pain, calamity, and chaos to the World—continued to squirm.
Time trickled by, second by second.
Until the blood moon climbed to its zenith.
It hung there like a cold, indifferent, bloody eye, gazing down upon the earth.
At that moment, in this Calamity Origin Land shrouded by Death, Calamity, and Black Mist,
hazy, illusory shadows began to emerge one after another.
These... were all Evil Spirits.
All were a part of the great Evil God.
They were also Zorn's fellow bosses.
Although they were not as formidable as Zorn, none were to be trifled with. There were plenty among them, especially those cultivated by the Esoteric Sects and other clandestine organizations, who were higher Level and more powerful than Zorn.
The arrival of the blood moon had drawn them all here.
They could only vaguely sense one another's presence, unable to truly perceive or identify each other.
But they knew.
Evil Spirits don't need friends.
Evil Spirits only need food.
They fed on each other.
As the silhouettes of the many figures grew more distinct...
The piece of flesh and blood marked earlier by the Lantern-carrying Elder suddenly shot into the air.
Then, in the hazy, blood-red moonlight, it plunged into the depths of the twilight-shrouded land.
Zorn watched the remnant as it escaped the Calamity Origin Land.
Zorn's eyes narrowed.
Others didn't know into whose hands this remnant would fall.
But he knew very well.
It would fall into the hands of [Duke Mu Huo]—that fearsome man of immense power and status, backed by the might of the Church.
He was using the blood moon to steal another piece of the Evil God Flesh and Blood.
As a fellow boss, the manhunt for the Evil Spirit Wizard, Zorn Corick, by the Church was orchestrated by this very [Duke Mu Huo].
When Zorn Corick was dismembered,
a part of him was devoured by [Duke Mu Huo].
Even the Church's later internal strife was inextricably linked to this [Duke Mu Huo].
Without a doubt, this [Duke Mu Huo] was one of the key players riding the tides of the era.
But this time, Zorn had marked it in advance!
When the calamitous uprising in Ogrande City begins,
he will become the target of numerous Evil Spirits.
In the original timeline, that was the fate reserved for "Zorn Corick."
...
On a towering mountain peak, a recorder in a high tower observed the [Origin Demon Pool] through a special instrument. He glimpsed the birth of a warped calamity.
He quickly recorded it all on a sheet of parchment.
Before this, he and his companions had already recorded many similar anomalies.
Atop another, grey tower,
A young Wizard in a grey hooded robe stood with his brow tightly furrowed.
Under today's blood moon, many powers were growing restless.
The ripples in the [Origin Demon Pool] hadn't ceased for a moment.
In the past, there would be scarcely one or two ripples a year.
"WHOOO..."
The wind sweeping down from the snowy mountain carried with it low whispers, as if recounting tales of the past!
'The era of great turmoil... is coming.'
The young, grey-robed Wizard raised his head, his gaze fixed on the alluring snowy peak.
'Climbing it this year will be difficult, I'm afraid.'
A squad of Knights came scrambling up the stairs, reporting breathlessly.
"Lord Francis, some... some of the sheep have escaped."
"Escaped?"
The young, grey-robed Wizard known as Francis was taken aback.
"How many escaped?"
The Knight hesitated for a moment, then stammered,
"A lot!"
"A lot?"
Francis, who was handsome with neat, short hair, couldn't help but rub his temples.
'Those sheep with the Lock Rings... every last one of them was a vicious criminal.
There were even some powerful Transcendents among them.
Originally, the plan was to use them as 'material' to produce 'wool,' while also using them as [Elemental Factors] to suppress the terrifying Upper Rankers in the prison.
The blood moon's arrival, however, has brought change—even disaster!'
"The blood moon!"
Francis looked up, the blood moon perfectly reflected in his pupils.
'What a terrible night!'