"The Key of Death already has an owner?"
Holding the diary in his hand, Ebner skimmed through most of the contents, but his gaze lingered on that one line.
That means my earlier suspicion was probably correct—the current "Artificial Death" has most likely changed surnames... I just don't know whether it's Liu or Amon…
The reason the Goddess has kept this matter "hidden" is probably because, at that time, the apocalypse was still far off. If a divine war were triggered immediately, there would be one fewer true god to plug the "cracks" in the Earth's barrier.
And besides, that wouldn't fit Adam's "script."
As his thoughts turned, Ebner put down the diary and looked at Klein, who seemed hesitant to speak. Smiling, he said, "If you've got something to say, just say it."
Compared to the Roselle in the diary—who was filled with suspicion and caution toward the "Calamity Seal"—Klein's habit of "removing his mask" in front of him made Ebner feel truly comfortable. He decided that whatever Klein wanted, he'd try his best to help.
"It's like this… I'd like to make a trade with you," Klein said carefully. "Specifically, for that item in your possession—the 'Silent Disciple' characteristic you obtained from the Rose School demigod."
The Silent Disciple characteristic? Ebner recalled for a moment, then remembered. Yes—he had obtained it as spoils from the first layer of the "Dream Labyrinth Tower," after fighting a Rose School demigod's spirit.
"And what do you plan to exchange for it?" Ebner asked after some thought. He didn't really have much use for that characteristic. If the price was good, selling it to Klein to help him "please" Miss Sharon wouldn't be a bad deal.
Hearing the question, Klein took a deep breath, then retrieved the Seed of Fire gloves from his pile of miscellaneous items. He launched into a persuasive pitch, describing the item—and the "True Creator" corruption it carried—with such eloquence that he nearly made flowers bloom in the underworld.
It wasn't entirely exaggeration—when he demonstrated the "True Creator's" corruptive power, the gray fog itself seemed to stir and ripple faintly.
Finally, Klein concluded with hopeful eyes: "In your hands, this item could unleash its full potential—far beyond that of an ordinary demigod's might. So, what do you think?"
Ebner was silent for several seconds. Then, as if trying to re-evaluate the man before him, he looked Klein up and down for half a minute—until Klein began to fidget—before saying slowly,
"Tell me… is it possible that what you're trying to do is convince me that a Sequence 6 extraordinary item is equal in value to a Sequence 3 characteristic?"
Klein froze, speechless. Though a bit embarrassed, he nodded in agreement. "You've got a point… Hmm, how about this—if I add this blood-red crystal, would that make up the difference?"
As he spoke, he took out the long, slender blood crystal extracted from Slaughterer Gilchies' body and placed it before Ebner.
"What's this…" Ebner frowned slightly, feeling that it looked familiar. It resembled the soul stones formed from the deaths of those special beings tied to the Primordial—like the "Mechanical Emperor" or the "Elf King"—but it was inferior, somehow incomplete.
It was more like an early prototype or a low-grade version of a soul stone.
"It came from the 'Slaughterer' Gilchies. Essentially, it was the medium through which the 'Death Announcer' controlled him," Klein explained briefly. He then projected the scene he had divined through the crystal for Ebner to see.
In the vision, a gray, misty world appeared, filled with blood-stained altars inscribed with foul symbols and words. They seemed to chant something blasphemous… Then, a handsome man over three meters tall placed the condensed blood crystal and a soul onto one of the altars, performing a ritual that turned the soul into an "egg."
"It really works…" the man murmured to himself.
The vision ended there.
"This was what I saw when I divined the crystal's use," Klein explained.
That handsome man performing the ritual… that's the God of Luck—no, that's "me," using a demon to conduct reincarnation experiments?
Hmm… According to Yaloran, the egg Roselle found in the Abyss that later "hatched" into Yaldabaoth was one of my experimental products…
So it's normal that there were other trials before that. Perhaps the "Death Announcer" was one of the failed ones.
As Ebner pondered silently over the crystal, Klein resumed his pitch. "With this crystal, I think you could easily track down the 'Death Announcer'… It's a Sequence 3 existence, after all."
Easily? Didn't the two of us once try to ambush it—only for it to chicken out and flee? Ebner couldn't help but mock inwardly. Outwardly, though, he smiled thoughtfully and said, "Aside from these two things, if you agree to one more request, I'll give you the characteristic."
Klein immediately sensed something dangerous in Ebner's smile and asked cautiously, "What request?"
"It's simple," Ebner said with deceptive ease. "I want to study the secret hidden within 'Admiral of Pale' Maria. You just need to persuade her to agree to it.
"I know she seems to trust you quite a bit, so that shouldn't be too difficult, right?"
Then, realizing how that might sound, he quickly added, "It's purely academic research, don't get the wrong idea."
You call that simple? I don't believe you for a second, you sly old fox who's lived thousands of years! Klein grumbled internally. Thinking about how he himself had done a few so-called "academic studies" before, he could only blurt out one word in reply:
"Scum."
Ebner raised a brow and shot back immediately, "Scum? Hardly worse than a certain mad hunter entangled with three female pirate generals!"
The scandalous stories of Gehrman Sparrow's ambiguous relationships with the "Admiral of Stars," "Admiral of Pale," and "Admiral of Blood" had spread from the seas onto land, and Ebner had even seen tabloids about it in Backlund.
His company's script department had already submitted a film proposal for an action-adventure movie based on "Gehrman."
How are you as gossipy as Miss Daly? Klein thought in exasperation, then shot back, "Says the 'Playboy Detective'—aren't your own scandals even worse than mine?"
After exchanging a few jabs, both men felt much more relaxed. Klein then began seriously considering Ebner's request.
He could guess that Mr. Tower's desire to study Maria was to uncover the truth behind that experiment eleven years ago, not for any indecent reason. Still, he had a headache—how was he supposed to even bring it up to her?
But if he didn't agree, Mr. Tower wouldn't give him the "Silent Disciple" characteristic. And given the characteristic's value at Sequence 3, he'd still be coming out ahead…
After a moment's hesitation, Klein decided to try. But he didn't dare make any firm promises, so he said vaguely, "I can ask her and try to persuade her, but whether she agrees… that I can't guarantee."
"That's more than enough. You can tell her that whatever terms she asks for, I'll do my best to meet them." Ebner nodded with a faint smile. "Then it's a deal… I can even give you the payment upfront."
"Thanks." Klein's heart lifted with delight. With this characteristic, Miss Messenger's strength would rise again—and the stronger she was, the smoother tomorrow's hunt for the "Admiral of Blood" would go.
Thinking of that hunt, Klein suddenly remembered that "Admiral of Pale" had said Mr. Tower would also be participating, so he asked about it.
"Edwina wrote to invite me earlier, and I agreed," Ebner nodded, understanding Klein's concern. He smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry—the 'Mother Tree of Desire' is currently tied up with something far more important and can't spare the focus to deal with you.
"At most, Sia'a might show up—but her true body won't descend.
"And when that happens, there'll naturally be someone to hold her back."
As he spoke, a fleeting image crossed Ebner's mind—a delicate, doll-like figure who had sought him out shortly after he received Edwina's invitation.
(End of this chapter)