Perhaps it was the negative effects of the potion after his advancement, or perhaps it was the chaos in his mental state; in any case, the target used a curse to kill Talim Dumont, whom he had finally managed to lure away. His hopes of escape were dashed once again. How pathetic."
The man with dark gold hair gripped a quill pen and wrote with a soft rustling sound.
The beautiful, black-haired woman picked up the puppet dripping with dark red blood, extended her hand adorned with a sapphire ring. and with her index finger swirling with illusory black flames, touched the puppet's heart.
The black flames pierced through the area they touched, and the black-haired woman's lips curled up slightly, looking somewhat smug.
The next second, her smile suddenly froze. After staring blankly at the puppet for a few seconds, the woman's pupils dilated sharply, her smugness vanished, and she murmured in a confused and fearful voice:
"What did I do...?"
thump!
Klein, who had only taken a few steps, suddenly turned around and saw Talim Dumont lying on the ground, his left hand pressed tightly against his heart, his body convulsing.
He rushed over, but by then the man had already foamed at the mouth and lost his last breath.
"...Trissy!" Leonard' s expression changed slightly the moment he saw the black-haired woman, and he blurted out.
Before he finished speaking, a series of questioning gazes converged on Leonard. Leonard, at the center of these gazes, remained silent for a few seconds, his emerald eyes seeming to momentarily daze before he said:
"Back in Tingen, I...we Night Watchers once hunted her down, but she escaped."
"She was a member of the Witch Cult, and her former name was Tris."
If it weren't for the captain and the others being there, and the old man's timely reminder, I would have been finished... Leonard was deeply impressed by the witch who almost cursed him to death, and he still feels a bit scared when he thinks about it now.
...Tris?! Danitz, who had just met Mrs. Sharon immediately understood what this meant, and his expression turned ugly.
He had just been inwardly praising the dark-haired woman's beauty-she was only slightly less attractive than the captain.
"Damn it! Could all the beautiful women around this guy be assassins?" Мг. Wan, who had fallen into the "traps" of two ex-boyfriends, thought angrily.
Trissy? Something seemed to flash through Audrey's mind, and memories from several years ago were suddenly stirred up.
Trissy... Trissy Cheek?
The primordial witch?
As her thoughts shifted, Audrey's emerald-green eyes suddenly became serious.
Although she knew exactly how this historic event would end, it was like reading a novel where you already knew the ending but only had a vague understanding of the dramatic events. So when she realized that the climax of the story was about to arrive, she couldn't help but feel a jolt of excitement.
"The target tried to break free, but unfortunately. Detective Sherlock Moriarty had already left before she went downstairs."
"The target once again veers off course, attending Talim's funeral in place of Prince Edsack. However, she quickly returns to normal and finds herself unable to recognize Sherlock Moriarty, and can only pitifully miss him."
The narrator-like voice runs throughout the film, and Klein, who has accepted Prince Edsack's commission, seems to be written into a script woven by this voice, repeatedly missing Triss's attempts to meet him.
Klein naturally noticed some unusual coincidences, but he couldn't get a definite answer through divination. In this atmosphere of impending doom, he gathered all the ingredients for the "Faceless Man" potion and successfully advanced to Sequence 6 "Faceless Man" that very night.
As expected of Gehrman Sparrow... Although Gadriya had long been numb to the speed of "World's" advancement, as a powerful figure who had been famous at sea for many years, she still couldn't help but feel a slight blow.
At this pace, Gehrman Sparrow would soon be at sea, and then... she remembered her initial transgression and sighed silently.
"The target has once again broken the restrictions, successfully escaped Red Rose Manor, caught up with Sherlock Moriarty on his way out, and requested that he inform the three major churches of his whereabouts."
Looking at the quill pen that he had started writing with, the middle-aged man who was blind in one eye suddenly became serious.
"What did they change your name to?"
Triss frowned her beautiful brows, her eyes slightly misty, and replied:
"Trissy cheek".
Klein suddenly looked up, as if he had realized something extremely terrifying. and his whole body stiffened like a marble statue.
"...Great 'Fool Mr., my investigation has yielded results..." Klein struck a prayer pose in the woods.
Mr. World knew what "Cheek" meant, but he didn't mention it during his prayer... Audrey blinked slightly. Even as a demigod who was a "spectator," she seemed to be somewhat affected by the tense atmosphere.
She had initially thought that the follower was unaware of the meaning of "Cheek," but now it seemed that the other party had refrained from speaking out of caution. After all, linking the true name and title of an evil god when one was likely to be watched by the enemy was hardly a wise move.
In the film, he only mentioned Triss's new name, seemingly believing that Mr. Fool would not leave it unexplained.
The blonde girl, who was concentrating on her lesson, suddenly found herself surrounded by an endless gray fog, followed by a blurry figure and the sound of prayer.
After the praying figures dispersed, the leisurely figure of the "Fool" emerged from the gray mist, speaking in a calm tone tinged with a hint of mockery:Cheek, hey, that's the 'Primal Witch' s' real name..."
The casual words struck like a thunderbolt, and Audrey's expression, which had been calm and composed, instantly became uncontrollable.
The true name of the "Primordial Witch"... Even the Moretti siblings, who knew very little about the Extraordinary World, could sense the evil aura emanating from this title, and the worry in their eyes was self-evident.
Of course, it's inevitable that some people who could have remained neutral couldn't resist taking a break.
Cheek? Could he be a man too? Although Danitz always held the true God in awe, his thoughts still couldn't help but drift for a moment.
He was so frightened that he quickly dismissed the idea, but a question lingered in his mind:
...Aren't there any witches who are truly women?
Above the gray fog, the ancient temple-like building stood silently.
The Fool" withdrew his gaze and looked at another deep red star in the distance.
As the camera zooms in, the viewpoint is magnified, making the scene within the deep red star increasingly clear.
A young man dressed as a wandering magician sat casually in a chair, a smile on his face. After a moment, his smile faded, replaced by a look of concentration.
The scene slowly recedes again, and a gray haze fills the frame once more, accompanied by the wandering magician's promise-like tone:
"I will try my best to do this, but not now.
Many people's eyes shifted towards the wandering magician, some with a hint of barely perceptible doubt.
Wasn't he observing Klein? That behavior was indeed only temporary... Leonard thought with mixed feelings.
Normally, Leonard wouldn't want Klein constantly under the watchful eyes of powerful individuals. Even if Mr. Fool's angels weren't malicious, considering the principle of equivalent exchange, it wasn't something to be proud of. But in that tense atmosphere, he preferred that a powerful extraordinary being could guarantee Klein's safety.
Alger's eyelids twitched. In his opinion, this was not the tone appropriate when addressing a god.
To be fair, the Fool usually treated them with considerable leniency and wouldn't mind minor transgressions. But Alger instinctively believed that the Fool's followers would never show the slightest disrespect.
However, the only person I have directly contacted so far is Gehrman Sparrow, so I certainly cannot represent the attitude of all people... Our current communication with Mr. "Fool" is basically limited to Tarot meetings, and we do not know what his attitude would be in other situations…
Judging from His Highness the Wandering Magician's performance in the film, He was already a powerful being of a high rank, perhaps even by Mr. Fool's side before Mr. Fool fell into slumber... Perhaps, even before Mr. Fool became a god…
Alger was startled and hastily interrupted his disrespectful thoughts. His eyes flickered a few times, but he ultimately decided not to dwell on it.
Audrey, who was on the "audience" side, noticed more details after a moment of slight surprise:
The wandering magician's figure in the shot is slightly turned to the side. If you look closely, you will find that there are subtle unnatural folds in the folds of his robe, as if something is gently pulling it down.
Having observed many people, Audrey knew perfectly well that this meant the wandering magician's clothing was likely torn. In other words, he had probably been injured not long ago.
While it's impossible to be certain that He was already an angel at that time, He was most likely a powerful being of a high rank... Anything that could injure such a being would definitely not be a trivial matter... Audrey pursed her lips slightly, further confirming the reason for the wandering magician's answer.
After finishing his prayers. Klein had only taken a few steps when his vision suddenly brightened, and the narration from "0-08" sounded again:
"For unknown and inexplicable reasons, the Dallas meteor shower arrived on this planet two days early."
"Some of them landed right in the woods where Sherlock Moriarty was hiding, yes, right in the middle!"
The massive meteorites raining down from the sky instantly ignited the final tension. Benson's hands clenched involuntarily, and Melissa couldn't help but glance at the wandering magician.
Klein could naturally read the meaning behind those eyes: Why haven't you appeared yet?
Sister, I didn't want to either, but saving myself... Klein tried to keep his expression steady, and gave a bitter laugh to himself.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
Klein snapped his fingers repeatedly, his figure flashing among the meteorites, but he still couldn't escape the perilous situation.
Just then, the scene in the shot suddenly changed; the red became redder, the yellow became yellower, and the white became whiter, with all the colors overlapping in a rich and intense way, like a strange oil painting.
Klein was taken aback at first, then looked at the bronze-skinned figure that had suddenly appeared beside him and exclaimed with delight, "Mr. Azik!"
He had barely finished speaking when Azik waved his hand, grabbed his arm, and led him into the depths where various rich colors overlapped.
"...So he and Sherlock Moriarty landed not far from Ince Zangwell and his friends."
An ordinary-looking quill pen moved its tip rapidly in the man's hand.
"Keep escaping from here."
"Don't worry about me. I've remembered a lot of things and know that I was in a sequence for a long time. That sequence is called 'The Undead'."
Facing the man with striking features dressed in a clergyman's robe. Azk spoke calmly and gently.
Following Mr. Azik's instructions, Klein turned and ran upwards without hesitation.
Thump, thump, squeak... Klein, who was running at high speed, suddenly braked. After a moment of hesitation, he stretched out his left hand and wiped his face, and his whole body was lifted up with a crisp sound.
Once his left palm left his face, he had transformed into Ince Zangwell.
Clad in black armor, Klein, whose appearance had changed, closed the door and fled in a panic.
At every guard post he encountered along the way, he would shout loudly:
"Zangwell is suspicious!"
Seeing Klein's performance, Cattleya couldn't help but secretly admire him.
In her view, it wasn't difficult to come up with a way to impersonate Ince Zangwell, but it was quite admirable that he remained calm and took further decisive action in this situation.
Red Rose Manor, sun-drenched interior.
Triss paused, then raised her hand to wipe away the tears that had just flowed from her laughter:
"You are such a pitiful person."
"Don't you understand? You are someone who can be sacrificed, while I am both a hostage needed for the cooperation between the royal family and the witch cult, and a necessary disguise for deception..."
Prince Edsack, his round face grim, stared silently at Triss. Suddenly, he closed his eyes and pointed to the other side, saying:
"You should leave."
"Leave through that door."
"I will stop Finkel. As for whether you can escape other pursuers, that depends on your own strength and luck."
Triss's eyes were glazed over for a few seconds before she quickly ran toward the hidden door.
Before leaving, she couldn't help but look back one last time:
"And you?"Edsack didn't turn his head, still gazing out the floor-to-ceiling window, as if searching for a shadow of the past.
He smiled and said:
"Me? Let me live in this beautiful story and face its final ending. whether it's good or bad."
Audrey's eyes darkened slightly.
As a follower of the goddess of night, she has always disliked Prince Edsac, who worships the lord of storms, and is quite dissatisfied with the arrogant attitude of the Augustus family towards women.
But at this moment, all she felt was sorrow.
The image gradually dimmed, slowly transforming into a hazy expanse of pale yellow and black iron.
A stunningly beautiful woman in a pristine white robe walked slowly down the streets of the East District, surrounded by figures collapsing one after another. Their frail bodies slammed heavily against the ground, producing a series of dull thuds.
Her expression was calm and gentle, as if she were completing a work of art.
With a slight smile, a soft, low female voice chuckled:
"The history of the Kingdom of Loen will remember this day:"
"The Backlund smog event".
On a street deep in the East End, old Kohler hurried along, carrying a ham in a paper bag, glancing around warily.
As he walked, the fog around him grew thicker and thicker, and everything around him became blurry.
Old Kohler couldn't help but raise his hand to cover his mouth and nose.
"Why does the fog smell so bad today?" he muttered, quickening his pace.
"Heh, heh, heh," he gasped, his hands went limp, and the paper bag containing the ham fell heavily to the ground.
Old Kohler instinctively crouched down to pick it up, but fell down on the spot.
He pressed down on the bag of ham, trying to pull it into his arms. making a bellows-like sound in his throat.
Thump! A few steps away from him, someone else also fell down, gasping for breath. He was about the same age as him, around fifty years old, with graying temples.
Old Kohler's eyes flickered for a moment, then gradually dimmed.
As the camera slowly zooms in, something illusory floats within his gradually unfocusing pupils, eventually transforming into a series of dim, mottled images:
His voice was already hoarse, but he frantically lunged at the three figures of different sizes covered with white cloth, only to be slapped hard with a stick.
"Don't come any closer! Do you want to die too?" the police officer shouted angrily, wielding a baton.
"Take him out." The doctor waved his hand expressionlessly.
He sat on the slightly yellowed white hospital bed, staring blankly as the talkative guy in the next bed was silently carried away.
A rare ray of sunlight broke through the gray sky, casting a soft glow on a corner of the corpse through the filthy window, like a cruel irony of fate.
His face was pale, so he swallowed hard, stuffed the dirty, mud-covered fruit pit into his mouth, chewed it skillfully, and ate it all. Seeing the astonished look on the man's face beside him, he wiped his mouth, shrugged, and gave a bitter smile:
"I haven't eaten for almost three days."
The man in front of him paused for a moment, then sighed silently and smiled:
"Excuse me, I didn't introduce myself earlier. I'm a reporter."
"Each time we meet, I will give you 15 pounds as a reward. If the information you provide satisfies me, you will receive an additional 5 pounds as a bonus."
"One pound?" he blurted out in astonishment.
"I might not be back for two or three weeks, so I'll pay you in advance. Hehe, don't forget to help me gather information."
"Okay, okay!" He accepted the banknotes with a mixture of joy and gratitude.
"Don't take risks to gather information. If you find anything wrong, get out of there immediately and don't get involved.
"I understand." He patted his chest and said, "I'm a coward, I won't take any risks."
"Very good." the kind detective praised.
"Hey, old man, here's your ham." The ship's worker who had bought the ham with his partner laughed and tossed over his share.
He hurriedly caught it, carefully examined the red and white piece of meat, and after confirming that the size was correct, he laughed and retorted, "You're not any younger than me."
The drunkard mumbled a few curses at the person opposite him, then laughed slurredly." Buddy. People like us are like straw in the field; a gust of wind and we'll fall down."
"Even without wind. I might collapse ..."
Old Kohler clutched the paper bag of ham tightly, then reached into the pocket of his old jacket and struggled to pull out a crumpled cigarette, but his arm gave way and he slammed heavily to the ground.
His dull eyes were filled with confusion, and his lips trembled with difficulty, but he could not say anything.
His eyes had lost their light, reflecting only a murky mix of black and yellow.
In his last moments, he asked:
"Why?"
"Mom, what's wrong? Mom, what's wrong?" Freya ran to Liv, who had fallen at the door, in a panic and squatted down.
"No, cough cough, I'm fine." Liv's breathing gradually became dry.
"No, you're sick, you're sick! I'll take you to the hospital right away!" Freya tried her best to help her mother up.
"Too expensive, too, too expensive, cough, go to charity hospital. charity hospital, I can wait, no, it's not a big problem," Liv replied breathlessly.
Freya suddenly burst into tears, her body went limp, and Liv also fell to the ground.
"Freya, what's wrong? Cough cough, are you sick too?" Liv called out anxiously. "The money is, cough, hidden in the cabinet, cough, in the hole in the wall, you, hurry, hurry to the hospital! Find a good, good doctor!"
Freya opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Her gaze drifted upwards and fell on the door of the next room.
That was their bedroom, with their bunk bed, her favorite little table. and vocabulary books.
Her body suddenly convulsed.
Liv's cough stopped abruptly.
Daisy, who was running with the crowd, seemed to sense something and suddenly turned her head, as if she wanted to go against the flow of people and rush home.
However, she was stopped; she was grabbed by the teachers and forcibly dragged toward the church.
Daisy struggled desperately, screaming at the top of her lungs:
"Mom! Freya!"
The girl's desperate screams seemed to pierce through everyone's hearts. In the silent space, only the cries and wails of thousands echoed in layers.
Although her roommate was a bounty hunter active in the East District, Fors herself didn't have much contact with the East District, except for attending some extraordinary gatherings, and didn't know many East District residents.
In the period immediately following the dense fog, her strongest emotions were fear and unease. But at this moment, Fors felt a profound shock and sorrow.
According to the novel's plot, the angel disguised as a wandering magician should suddenly appear in front of the dying old Kohler and Liv's family, leading them out of danger and saving their lives.
...But this is ultimately based on reality.
Klein watched the scene unfold before him in silence, a flicker of something seeming to pass through his deep eyes.
Why? "
Some ridiculous, insignificant reasons."
"Give your life for the coming of the Lord."
Thump, thump, a figure fell heavily to the ground. From the direction of the altar came layers of illusory weeping sounds: someone was calling for their mother, someone was coughing violently, and someone was groaning in pain.
Those sounds were like wails from hell, layer upon layer, conveying a bone-chilling despair and sorrow.
In the corner of the hall, Klein had his eyes closed, his back pressed against the wall, his right hand clenching tightly and then relaxing.
His right hand loosened and tightened repeatedly.
Seven or eight seconds later, Klein opened his eyes, a flamboyant smile spreading across his face.
The next moment, he reached out and gripped the revolver, turned sharply, and rushed out.
Dressed in a black double-breasted tuxedo, he raised his right hand and aimed at the altar.
Alger's eyes betrayed a hint of astonishment.
He believed that Gehrman Sparrow understood, just as he did, that Mr. Fool's methods were not limited to one. Even if the wandering magician could not arrive in time, He would find a way to stop the true creator's scheme. The worst-case scenario would be that He would be successfully suppressed after causing even greater casualties.
Given Gehrman Sparrow's calm personality, even if there were a chance of resurrection, he would not take such a slim risk.However, the facts were laid bare before Alger.
He instinctively wanted to find a suitable reason, but then he seemed to think of something, and his gaze gradually became deep.
Sherlock is an idiot, he could have easily taken the opportunity to escape…
Emlyn opened his mouth, then closed it again.
Watching Sherlock's retreating figure, a word that often lingered in his mind inexplicably came to mind:
"Savior".
Klein reached into his pocket, took a few steps forward, and threw an ancient-looking key toward the altar.
Within the layer of light, the brass-colored key began to decompose and melt, and in just a second or two, it shattered into the smallest particles of light and a patch of illusory, distorted crimson.
The crimson hue struggled desperately as it rapidly faded, then suddenly burst open!
In an instant, an unprecedentedly sharp sound pierced the scene, causing the entire screen to tremble. Countless figures formed from resentment within the light layer raised their heads and screamed. quickly turning black and green, undergoing a mutation, and then converging into a torrent that surged into Mr. A's body.
Mr. A suddenly opened his eyes, his pale complexion masking disbelief and astonishment.
Immediately afterwards, the light layer surrounding the entire altar distorted and collapsed.
Boom!
A massive explosion emanated from the center of the altar, creating a terrifying storm.
As the beautiful lady in the white robe was slightly rising to leave the carriage, a figure suddenly appeared in front of her.
The figure sitting opposite her was a young woman wearing a hooded classical robe, with black eyes and hair, and a beautiful but blank face.
"You're not! You are..."
The woman in the white robe stopped speaking abruptly. Her entire being was like a sketch, erased inch by inch by an eraser under the other person's blank gaze, leaving not a trace.
A woman with a beautiful face and a blank expression pulled up the hood of her classical robe, her lips twitched almost imperceptibly, and her figure vanished in an instant.
This... this is a hidden ability? Leonard, a senior deacon of the Church of the Night, quickly recognized it, and was immediately filled with surprise and doubt!
That woman was an angel? But this was clearly not Saint Ariana... Was she from the Church of the Night? And something seemed off about her…
*well..."
Just then, Pales inside his body suddenly let out a soft sigh:
Do you remember Antigonus?
How could I not remember... Leonard suppressed his thoughts and muttered silently.
"This lady is the 'Mother of Heaven' of the Night Kingdom, and the sister of that half 'Fool'."
..Antigonus's sister? How could she still be alive? Leonard's mind went blank, and he froze.
Pales chuckled, his tone rather complex:
"He is already a possession of your Church of the Night."
*...For details, you should ask the Goddess of the Night."
Immediately, He ignored Leonard's chaotic thoughts and, after a moment of silence, said:
*...Keep reading."
Triss 's forehead was covered in cold sweat as she stared in despair at the beautiful but dazed woman who had suddenly appeared before her.
Suddenly, a faint blue light flashed on her left little finger, and the sapphire ring she wore there shattered into pieces, losing all its luster.
And that terrifying figure vanished abruptly.
Crack, crack, crack-the fragments of the ring and gemstone fell one after another.
Klein, floating on the water, raised his right hand, while Mr. A. not far away, curled his lips into a smile, his eyes filled with a palpable hatred.
At that moment, the two of them looked up at the sky at the same time
A figure with feminine grace quickly materialized there, wearing a hood and a dark robe, staring blankly at Mr. A.
Then, Mr. A seemed to turn into a pencil drawing, helplessly erased by the eraser, along with his bewildered yet unwilling, and frantic yet desperate look in his eyes at the last moment.
Then, the figure turned its head and looked at Klein.
It was a beautiful face, but without any expression; its black eyes were dark and deep, yet lacked any spirit.
The next second, a gray mist faintly appeared beside Klein, and above the mist, "The Fool" could be seen.
Behind the woman, the air rippled, gradually turning into a tranquil blackness. Amidst the illusory shadows of moonflowers and night-blooming jasmine, her skirt, like a curtain of stars, swayed gently.
The figures behind them seemed to be gazing at each other from afar. Then, the woman's lips slowly twitched upwards, revealing a smile.
Klein looked stunned.
Before he could react, the figure faded away instantly and disappeared from the spot, leaving only the sound of rushing water echoing silently around him.
Goddess of the Night…
Almost everyone murmured to themselves in unison.
The appearance of the Goddess of Night this time did not cause as much of a stir as last time. After all, everyone knew that Audrey would inform the Church of the Goddess of Night, so it was inevitable that the Church of Night would take action.
But the reappearance of the Goddess of the Night undoubtedly left everyone somewhat amazed. The strange behavior of the beautiful woman also fueled much speculation.
Why does the phantom of a goddess appear behind Antigonus's sister? Leonard frowned slightly, his mind racing.
Suddenly, an unbelievable conclusion formed in Leonard's mind:
Antigonus's sister...was made into a vessel for divine descent by the goddess?
Recalling that beautiful yet blank face, Leonard felt a sudden surge of fear.
"Your Highness, please hurry."
Edsack, standing by the French windows, took a breath, and his unusually empty eyes came to life. He picked up the revolver on the table and pressed it against his temple.
He turned around and looked longingly at the golf course and the horses strolling outside.
Bang!
He pulled the trigger.