Chapter 24
In the dim and silent secret chamber, candlelight flickered.
Zorn had completed the [Evil Spirit Wizard] inheritance.
But the ritual was not yet over.
The [Evil Spirit Wizard] was the main course of this inheritance ritual, its very core.
But Zorn had yet to choose the delectable side dish: the Guardian of the Evil Spirit Wizard.
And now, it was time to choose his Guardian.
Chanting the ancient secret words in the Taes Ancient Language, Zorn's Spiritual Consciousness plunged into the depths of a hazy and hidden Black Mist.
As he touched the viscous Black Mist, a dense, needle-like pain spread throughout Zorn's soul.
'It's only painful at the beginning, but this is also a form of tempering for an Evil Witch's soul, a process that continuously strengthens its spiritual intensity.'
'Besides... I possess the Fighting Master Sequence. I'm especially good at growing stronger by taking hits.'
'The combination of the two Sequences might produce a unique effect.'
As his Evil Witch Spirituality descended, sinking until it reached the depths of the Black Mist, everything around him fell completely silent.
Vaguely, Zorn could feel secretive and profound gazes from the depths of the darkness, observing him.
When Zorn looked over, all he saw was gloomy darkness. Even if he were to reach that area, nothing but emptiness would greet him.
Zorn knew that deep within this Black Mist, he couldn't see others, and others couldn't see him.
He was alone here, and yet he was not the only one present.
His gaze fell upon the [Calamity Origin Land].
More than a dozen fragments of the Evil God [Egunus]'s remains, large and small, their spirituality strong or weak, floated quietly in the depths of the Black Mist.
And as a former [Player], Zorn was well aware of the situation here.
The Sequence for the World-level boss, the [Evil Spirit Wizard], that Zorn had obtained was the largest and most complete of all the [Egunus] fragments.
The dozen or so fragments of [Egunus] displayed here were only a fraction of the total.
Some fragments were sealed away, others buried.
Still others had been acquired by the Esoteric Sect, secret cults, and the Church.
They were being forged into powerful, special Sequences, growing silently in the shadows.
The ones here, however, continued to wait—waiting for the right time, for a suitable vessel.
This was true for both Zorn and the other "Evil Spirits" who had obtained fragments of the Evil God.
The moment they received their piece of Egunus, they also learned His [True Name].
At the same time, they had also become a part of the great Evil God.
And as a part of the Evil God,
the task for "Evil Spirits" like Zorn was to collect the other parts and, ultimately... become the terrifying Evil God.
This was their destiny, and their ultimate fate.
Of course... Zorn could also choose to do nothing, to live out the majority of his life quietly as a nobleman, eating, drinking, and making merry.
But... that day would inevitably come.
An Evil Spirit far more powerful than Zorn.
Perhaps at dusk on some future evening.
Perhaps through his window during dinner one night.
Or perhaps, they would appear in Zorn's dreams.
They would appear and seize Zorn by the neck.
Zorn would only be able to watch in despair as a smile formed on the other's lips, suffocating to death.
And his opponent would be more than happy to savor a delicious cake like Zorn—one who held a tremendous advantage, yet willingly gave it up.
If his opponent were kind-hearted, they might spare Zorn's family, friends, and children.
But... would someone who had collected a large number of the Evil God's fragments be kind-hearted?
Obviously not!
Everything the former great boss, the Evil Spirit Wizard "Zorn Corick," had done to ascend to the Evil Witch Temple...
...would be replicated, move for move, upon Zorn by another rising boss.
If Zorn did not want to become a part of someone else,
then... he would have to eliminate every single person and faction that had acquired fragments of the Evil God [Egunus].
He would have to devour all other [Evil Spirits].
The process would surely be arduous.
But Zorn was already prepared for it.
He was willing to pay any price, even his own life, for this thorny journey toward godhood!
He had long since accepted his path.
His gaze swept across the dozen or so fragments within the [Source of Calamity] area.
Zorn arrived at the location where his own fragment had been.
He pushed aside the thick, dark Black Mist.
Four faint, illusory silhouettes gradually emerged and became clear.
These were the four Guardians of the Evil Spirit Wizard.
However, Zorn could only activate one Guardian for now.
He would only be able to activate the others as his power grew.
The Ghostly Assassin, Calmness!
The Merciful Witch, Mercy!
The Calamity Knight, Courage!
The Lantern-carrying Elder, Wisdom!
In the original timeline, Zorn Corick had chosen the Calamity Knight.
On many occasions when he was on the brink of death, the Calamity Knight helped "Zorn Corick" block attacks, allowing him to escape danger.
If Zorn were purely an [Evil Spirit Wizard],
he would most likely have chosen the "Ghostly Assassin." This Guardian could help him with a lot of "dirty work," and more importantly, could also protect him.
But with the [Star Trace Fighter] Sequence, the need for a Ghostly Assassin was greatly reduced.
'The Lantern-carrying Elder.'
Zorn's gaze fell on the Lantern-carrying Elder, the one among the four Guardians best suited to be a "partner," "strategist," and "think tank."
Zorn tapped lightly on the Lantern-carrying Elder's silhouette.
The silhouette of a stooped, white-haired old man carrying a worn-out lantern gradually materialized.