Morning!
For a rare change of pace, Zorn slept in and enjoyed the luxury of being woken by his maid.
Last night.
He had wandered deep within the Black Mist for a long time, silently absorbing Black Mist Essence.
He didn't return until around three in the morning, when the blood moon had vanished.
Establishing a connection with the Black Mist as early as possible was crucial.
But apparently, aside from Zorn, none of the other wielders of the Evil God's remnants knew this.
A lavish breakfast, as always.
After finishing his bread soup, Zorn was too full to eat the last bit of bacon and the blood velvet sausage.
'What a waste.'
His frugal instincts as a [Player] made him hate wasting food.
Whether it was the SS-Level [Star Trace Fighter] or the great BOSS, the [Evil Spirit Wizard], both were extremely powerful Sequences.
They could draw nutrients from food, allowing for his slow, steady growth.
The [Evil Spirit Wizard]'s "Life Tenacity"—or "Blood Bar Limit," so to speak—was something that constantly increased with digestion, both in daily life and through participation in [Events].
Zorn could already feel it, having just completed the inheritance of the [Evil Spirit Wizard] Sequence yesterday.
As a BOSS template, his Life Tenacity had surged by at least seven or eight times, and that was just the beginning.
Although the [Evil Spirit Wizard] was a Caster Sequence, it still possessed an impressive "Health Bar." Moreover, it was a "Health Bar" that could grow continuously.
For example, as he digested his food now, his "Blood Bar Limit" was slowly increasing. It was a gradual process, but its strength was its persistence.
Yesterday, after he completed the inheritance of the [Evil Spirit Wizard] Sequence,
The existence of the Dual Sequence felt like having two "engines."
Whether it was digesting food or processing the gains from participating in [Events], his efficiency was greatly accelerated.
More critically,
The [Evil Energy] from the [Evil Spirit Wizard] Sequence would normally leave behind obvious traces, allowing other Transcendents to sense that an evil power had been present.
However, with his Dual Sequence, Zorn was no mere [Evil Spirit Wizard].
He was a [Fighting Master] + [Evil Spirit Wizard].
This significantly weakened the traces of his [Evil Energy]; even if some were left behind, they wouldn't be potent.
He would look more like a weak "Evil Wizard."
This would make it difficult for him to be investigated or targeted.
He could use the [Fighting Master] Sequence to conceal the [Evil Spirit Wizard] Sequence.
This opened up... a great many possibilities.
Zorn had already made many speculations about the Dual Sequence.
But the results were even better than he had imagined.
In the side hall, he picked up today's Ogrande Steam Daily.
He mentally opened his system panel.
...
[Star Trace Fighter] (30th Anniversary Exclusive Commemorative Edition) (Untradeable)
Level: 1 (5%)
[Evil Spirit Wizard] (World-level BOSS) (Special Template)
Level: 1 (5%)
...
Originally, his Fighting Master was at Level 1 with 15% Experience.
After he acquired the [Evil Spirit Wizard] Sequence, the levels were balanced out.
The two Sequences had fused to some degree.
Staring at the identical levels and experience, Zorn sensed some extraordinary implications.
'Growing in Level means the Sequence is growing.'
'And different Sequences require different [Elements] and compose different [Verses].'
'The [Fighting Master] Sequence grows through exhilarating combat, fighting on the edge of life and death. It belongs to the 'Combat-type Sequences.''
'The [Evil Spirit Wizard], however, grows through exploitation, enslavement, imprisonment, creating chaos and disaster, and harvesting the Spiritual Souls of others. This is a 'Destruction-type Sequence.''
The path to its growth alone revealed the [Evil Spirit Wizard]'s evil nature.
'But for me, with two Sequences, things are a little different.'
Zorn rubbed his temples, letting his imagination run wild.
'The Experience I gain as a [Fighting Master] can also be funneled into the [Evil Spirit Wizard] Sequence.'
'Likewise... the 'combat' of using the [Evil Spirit Wizard]'s Abilities could also yield rewards for my [Fighting Master] Sequence.'
As this thought crossed his mind, a strange light flared deep within Zorn's eyes.
'For the [Fighting Master] Sequence, simply 'using an Ability' counts as combat. The only difference is the intensity, which can be high or low.'
'And you have to remember, the [Evil Spirit Wizard]'s exploitation and draining of the factory workers means it is in a constant state of using its 'Ability.''
'From the [Fighting Master]'s perspective, using an Ability on other people who are affected by it *is* 'combat.' The intensity might not be high, but I'd be fighting against dozens, even hundreds of people at once.'
'If that can trigger the [Fighting Master] Sequence's growth, then I'd be in combat twenty-four hours a day, non-stop.'
'I can fight a hundred people at once, and I can do it for twenty-four hours straight. This... this is a classic BUG.'
As he considered this, Zorn's heart fluttered with excitement.
As a [Player], Zorn had other ways to accelerate the [Evil Spirit Wizard]'s growth.
But this was the growth of a Dual Sequence, not to mention that the great BOSS, the Evil Spirit Wizard, was a notorious "Experience sink."
But if he could exploit a bug with the Dual Sequence to reap massive rewards...
...then Zorn certainly wasn't going to pass up such a perfect exploit.
The previous "Zorn Corick" had only managed to grow so quickly with the help of the Esoteric Sect, not to mention his frenzied slaughter, blood sacrifices, and city-wide massacres.
But the current Zorn, a solo [Evil Spirit Wizard], had no faction to rely on.
Meanwhile, his fellow BOSS opponents all had powerful backers.
If he wanted to grow quickly, he would naturally need some special methods of his own.
'To test if this BUG is feasible, I need to get the Steam Potion Factory up and running as soon as possible.'
'But... a Steam Potion Factory clearly isn't something that can be established in a day or two.'
'Perhaps...'
Zorn rubbed his temples lightly.
'I can test it in other ways.'
As he pondered, Zorn's eyes suddenly lit up.
'That's a great idea!'
'I can let those greedy bastards get a taste of the terror of an Evil Spirit Wizard!'
'I'll be able to solve a few problems and conduct the perfect test at the same time.'
Having carefully sorted out his train of thought, Zorn digested his food, slowly converting it into "Gang Qi" and "Evil Energy."
At the same time, he absorbed a wealth of information from the newspaper.
Just as Zorn had seen happen many times before,
the midsummer blood moon of 1645 only occupied a small section of the paper.
It was just some fodder for after-dinner or tavern talk, not attracting much attention.
Those caught in the tide were oblivious to it; only much later, when people looked back, would they glimpse the terrifying mark the monstrous wave had left on history!
Today's front-page headline was a report on pollution from the Steam Factories and the issue of the workers' treatment inside.
The workers were demanding higher wages and better treatment.
Meanwhile, the capitalists of the Steam Factories were desperately squeezing the life out of the low-level laborers.
City Hall, for its part, was trying to mediate and find a point of balance.
After scanning the news about the Bay Area, Zorn's gaze fell to the inconspicuous classifieds section in a corner on the back page.
Some of the secret, little-known information that appeared there made Zorn's heart stir.
After carefully reading through the information and confirming it several times, Zorn found what he was looking for.
Both the Church and the Autanston Republic did their utmost to conceal the secrets of Transcendents.
But as more and more Mysterious Powers reawakened, the number of Transcendents gradually began to grow.
As a result, the Transcendents of Ogrande City gradually began to form their own small circles.
These Transcendents included nobles, ordinary people who had accidentally mastered a Mysterious Power, and a few chosen individuals like Zorn.
Naturally, there were sure to be members of the Esoteric Sect among them as well.
Even some official members would attend under a secret, private identity.
And that small ad in the paper listed the date and location of a gathering for the small circle of Ogrande City's Transcendents.
Whenever a Transcendent gathering was held, many materials, potions, Extraordinary Artifacts, and even Forbidden Sealed Objects that were impossible to find on the outside would circulate on a small scale within their circle.
If Zorn's calculations were correct, the items he needed would likely appear at the next Transcendent gathering.
And that next gathering was happening soon.
After finishing the newspaper, Zorn went to his study, pulled out a sheet of stationery, and began to write with a fountain pen.
It was a letter to City Hall regarding the situation with the mutated gray rats in the sewers.
Although the letter likely wouldn't have much effect, Zorn had promised Isaac he would do it.
After finishing his letter to "Ogrande City Hall,"
Zorn wrote another identical one to the "Municipal Police Station."
If the police station could be convinced to investigate the sewers, perhaps the situation would be different.