Chapter 572: The Ascension Ceremony of the Etheric Ghost
Chapter 572: The Ascension Ceremony of the Etheric Ghost
Word count: 2029 · Updated: October 21, 2025
Chapter 572: The Ascension Ceremony of the Etheric Ghost
Coming out of the dream, Crane opened his eyes slightly, raised his head, and lowered his clasped hands.
Under the gaze of the Evernight Goddess's followers, Clain stood up with dignity, took a step forward, and walked out of the church.
"Clain." As soon as he walked out of the door, Leonard, who had been waiting at the door, called out to Clain.
"Huh? What's wrong?" Crane turned around.
Leonard paused, took two steps forward, and simultaneously raised his arms in a downward swing.
Invisible ripples spread out, enveloping the two of them.
This is one of the extraordinary abilities of the "Consciousness Censor".
The effect is similar to psychological invisibility, but its essence is to "kill" the relevant memories of people around it within a certain range.
Leonard had even completely digested the Sequence 4 "Agent of Vengeance" during his "Patrol" Path, significantly enhancing his abilities in this area. He could even, like a meme, kill all extensions of this information transmission.
"Heh." Crane chuckled. "There's no need to do that around me."
"If I wish, even Adam can't hear us talking now."
Leonard was silent for a moment.
"So, Mr. Fool's recovery progress within your body is already very advanced?"
"Yeah." Crane raised the corner of his mouth slightly. "I guess it will be fully recovered soon."
"That's fine. It won't be long... um... about half a month, and I'll be able to become a true 'Fool'."
Leonard spoke in a low voice, his right eye, with a crosshair, staring intently at Crane. "Clayne, do you simply want Mr. Fool to return, or do you want him to revive within you?"
"Oh? Perhaps Pales told you something." After a moment's thought, Crane replied, "Rather, I'm a fool now."
The eye with the crosshairs seemed to focus on Crane's pupil, trying to see if Crane was lying.
But no.
Leonard couldn't see any "lies".
Even if he were to be promoted to Sequence 3 "Virtual Judge", he would not be able to see through any lies.
Because it's the truth from beginning to end.
Leonard lowered his eyes, took a step back, and lifted his block on the information.
"I see."
Clain smiled and shook his head: "Don't think too much, don't put too much pressure on yourself."
This sentence made Leonard even angrier.
This anger that has nowhere to vent is piling up in my heart, and I don't know how to vent it.
"Is there anything else? If not, I'll be leaving first." Clay waved goodbye.
"Goodbye." Leonard squeezed the word of farewell from his mouth.
Crane turned and took a step forward.
His body was instantly ignited by flames and disappeared in the star-like firelight.
Leonard also turned around, clenched his fists, and looked up at the church.
The cathedral has a distinct earth-like Gothic style, with an overall black color. The main facade features a tall, mottled bell tower, which stands on a huge central buttress between red and blue lattice windows and pierces the sky.
...
In Crane's own room, Crane walked out of the suddenly rising flames.
"Is it fun?" Ceres' voice rang out from the side.
Crane turned his head to look at the desk and saw Cerus sitting there waiting for him.
"Hmm... okay." Crane held his chin with one hand, not surprised at all that Cerus appeared in his room.
"Would you feel bad about that? Cheating a friend or something?" Ceres pressed.
"It's probably a mixture of guilt and amusement," Cline replied with a smile. "And that conflicting feeling actually makes it even more fun for me."
"Besides, you guys have been lying to me. I'm used to it."
"Haha," Cerus placed a bottle of potion on the table. "Sequence Three, this is the last time I will provide you with potion. Remember to go into the Narrow Room of Fate to dig for potions after that."
"It's not even certain whether I can get a promotion." Clain shrugged.
"You can at least be promoted to the rank of Counselor. This was confirmed when you used the mask to borrow the Counselor's abilities," Ceres reminded.
Clain picked up the potion and examined it carefully. "If I stop moving forward after my promotion, wouldn't that change my predetermined future?"
"You can do that, but I don't recommend it," Ceres said. "Fate is a strange thing, especially a predetermined fate."
"No matter what, the future is set to change. But it may happen in ways you least expect."
"for example..."
Serris thought for a moment. "Suppose that Celestial Master discovered this bug, created a loophole, and revived you by promoting himself to a Physician of Advice."
"Ah, never mind." Clain curled his lips in disgust.
After waiting for a few seconds and seeing that Cerus didn't move, Crane started to chase him.
"You should go. I can't advance with you here." Crane looked at Ceres and said, "Why don't you go to the moon and play with the Fallen Mother Goddess? I think she's a good match for your XP."
Cerus considered it carefully, then replied, "Hmm. It does seem interesting."
As he spoke, the color of his body became lighter and more transparent.
After saying these words, I could already see the table behind him through his body.
"Okay, bye then." Ceres waved gently.
"Bye." Clayne waved back.
After watching Ceres disappear, Crane retracted his gaze until the spirit sent a reminder that "the ceremony can begin". He casually reached into the mist of history and took out a mirror.
Arodes's consciousness immediately awakened in the historical projection.
"Great Master, may I ask you something to test me?" Words appeared on the surface of the silver mirror.
"Arodes, what do you think about the recent events regarding the Church of Fools?" Crane said in a calm tone.
"Great master, those fools are simply lawless!" Arodes was filled with righteous indignation.
"I understand." Crane still didn't give much reaction, just nodded and canceled the historical projection.
After confirming Aroldus's opinion, Clain finally felt relieved. He raised the potion bottle in his hand and looked at the light reflected from the potion in the glass bottle through the light.
[Joy] Path, Sequence Three, Ether Ghost.
Promotion ceremony:
A wave of public opinion spreads across more than one country, in which they play both the role of perpetrator and victim. This wave of public opinion gradually escalates, lasting for over six months. During the ceremony, no one can reveal or expose this fact. During the promotion period, no one within at least one country can be aware of this matterChapter 573: Simultaneous Promotion of Etheric Ghost and Mystic Attendant (4,000 words)
Chapter 573: Simultaneous Promotion of Etheric Ghost and Mystic Attendant (4,000 words)
Word count: 3703 · Updated: 2025-10-21
Chapter 573: The Simultaneous Ascension of the Etheric Ghost and the Mysterious Attendant (4,000 words)
Through the light above his head, Clayne saw that the potion in the glass bottle reflected a variety of colors of light.
They seemed to have a living consciousness, twisting into various shapes within the bottle, forming one human face after another, and these faces seemed to converge into codes of 0s and 1s.
Raising his head, Crane poured the potion into his mouth.
In a flash, he lost all sense of his body and the "spiritual worms" within it. He watched helplessly as they disintegrated and merged into a spiritual world that could not be described in normal language or understood with normal logic. They seemed to be disintegrating into abstract, complex information.
One translucent toy after another appeared around him, circling around him.
Everything about him spread in the form of memes, appearing in the minds of people throughout Rune and Silver City, and even some people in Intis, Fusak, and Lenburg.
At this moment, Crane only barely retained consciousness and self-awareness.
All those who had an opinion about the Church of Fools felt their emotions rise instantly.
This also includes Leonard Mitchell, who is angry with the Fool because of Crane.
Those who believed in the Church of Fool or admired Mr. Fool also experienced obvious emotional fluctuations at this moment.
The potion entered the body and quickly spread throughout the body, merging into every part and every cell.
His consciousness drifted through the spirit world filled with countless strange figures. After losing the sense of his body and Beyonder characteristics, he was further overwhelmed by all kinds of thoughts, information, knowledge, symbols, and identities, teetering on the edge of completely losing himself and becoming one with the spirit world.
At this time, a light gray mist spread.
High above the spirit world, Sefirah Castle experienced a disturbance.
A black "velvet curtain" was spontaneously thrown out and fell into the spirit world. It quickly broke apart and turned into countless fragments, floating towards Crane's spirit insects along the connection.
Without taking any supplementary materials or preparing any potions, he directly escaped from Origin Castle and flew into the spirit world.
This seems to be a reinforcement of the law of aggregation of extraordinary characteristics.
It could also be a loophole from a higher being, a trick.
Crane's head exploded, but instead of blood and flesh flying around, it turned into data composed of 0s and 1s.
Crane's body gradually became digitized, starting from his neck and moving downwards, until it was completely transformed into data and merged into this room and space.
Finally, Crane disappeared, completely transformed into data.
His consciousness spread out, farther and farther.
Gradually, Crane couldn't tell who and what he was.
He seemed to be just a blob of data; he could be anything.
If he wants to become a flower, he can become a flower.
If he wants to become a mountain, he can become a mountain.
He can also turn into sweet iced tea, into a Dixie pancake, into a gold coin...
If this continues, Crane will surely be completely lost.
He felt that people were opening their mouths and ears to public opinion and rumors, letting go of everything that was suppressed.
Watching people follow the tide of public opinion, praising those with ulterior motives and oppressing the innocent...
This is really interesting.
He could not wait to shatter, copy, and divide his own consciousness, and sprinkle it into the muddy water. They were noisy under the lively topics, and closely watched one farce after another that delighted the onlookers.
They have their own preferences, their own personalities, their own persistence, and their own destiny.
Gradually, they began to intervene.
What a pleasant story, the chaotic sounds spread like tentacles.
He plunged into the ocean of numbers, drowning out his laughter with splashes of water.
Or induce quarrels, or commit fraud.
They are the best performers and bring all kinds of comedy.
One ghost plays the clown, one ghost laughs, and another ghost calls on the audience to applaud.
They scolded, and the audience followed suit in contempt; they shouted, and the audience roared along with them.
Fragments of the black velvet curtain appeared, seeming to envelop them.
But they are too lazy to pay attention and unwilling to accept it, and quickly escape into the world's information and public opinion.
Even the Beyonder characteristics of Sequence One "Mystical Attendant" couldn't catch them.
Gradually, the black velvet curtain seemed to be lost in the spiritual world, attracting the covetousness of countless spiritual beings.
As time passed, Klein's consciousness gradually became aware of something more interesting.
They felt a spearhead pointed at them.
Oh my god, did they get busted? This is hilarious, they definitely have to go see what all the fuss is about.
Ah, it seems not, it was just some insignificant little thing, a discussion about "fools", and the verbal and written criticism of a god.
What a pity.
But it seems quite interesting.
Cline's ideologues joined in and continued to try to stimulate public opinion.
But this time, they seemed to have a problem.
In the world of information, a figure gradually emerges.
That was Clain, shrouded in gray mist, Mr. Fool.
As Crane's consciousness approached, they discovered that the body was devouring them.
They tried to break away, but the huge current swept them away.
They couldn't escape, and their end was to be "devoured" by that Crane.
Fear? Horror? Resistance?
None of that.
Crane's conscious people just thought it was fun.
Hahaha, they fooled themselves.
Still countless selves.
The torrent of public opinion converged into the real Crane.
Good, bad, extreme, neutral...
Countless words have fixed Crane's form and prevented it from expanding.
Crane regained some consciousness.
The black velvet curtain wanted to merge with the newly awakened Crane.
At this time, a certain area of the spirit world connected with the remaining part of Crane's consciousness.
The characteristic of the "Mysterious Attendant" was immediately noticed, disappeared from the spot, and appeared in the non-existent spirit town along the connection.
There corresponds to a real town where the people live ordinary lives. They have their own names, stories and destinies, which are intertwined and entangled with each other, bringing complete spiritual information, which is a concept in an abstract sense.
The remnants of the "black velvet curtain" sank into the corresponding area in the spirit world, merging into one puppet after another.
It lost track of information about Klein himself, so it had to settle for the next best thing.
Crane sensed a chaotic and mixed message.
I played the lyre by the fountain in the Piazza del Comune; I used a knife and fork to cut a steak; I was in the church, explaining the goddess's teachings to the believers; I extended my right hand and, with the attentive help of a gentleman, left the carriage; I got the new dress I had longed for and couldn't wait to put it on; I laughed loudly and stumbled while playing with a dog; I watched a comedy in a space called the "Domination Theater"; I went on stage myself, facing a man named Inszangwill at the Domination Theater...
I sat at home, hearing negative news about Fools at the cash register; I sat at my desk in the classroom, boasting about the Fool's conspiracy theories; a devoted Fool believer, I argued with several other friends to defend Mr. Fool's dignity; I heard it from others; I joined in, I carefully analyzed, I added fuel to the fire; I walked on all fours, chased by a child...
Suddenly, we were all shocked and looked up at the sky, seeing illusory and dense threads emerging from our bodies, extending to the infinite heights, extending above a gray mist, extending into an ancient palace and falling into the hands of a tall figure shrouded in mist.
"Conspiracy theory..." A puppet raised his finger and pointed at the figure in the sky, but was slapped on the head by the puppet next to him.
The town seemed to have suffered a great disaster.
What was it? It was as if the sky was falling? Or was it dusk transforming into a giant sword and slashing down?
But that's not important. What's important is that "Mr. Fool" took action and protected Utopia.
Mr. Fool's reputation in Utopia has improved.
A more intense conflict broke out with the rhetoric of the "anti-fools".
Clayne dissipated like mist, almost merging into a spirit body. Guided by fate, he merged with the spirit projections of various Utopia puppets, regaining substance.
They suddenly woke up and realized what their most essential identity was.
It's Zhou Mingrui, Claire Moretti, Sherlock Moriti, German Sparrow, Dwayne Dantès, and Merlin Hermes.
One thing can have many names.
But its essence will not change.
Each of these "people" raised their heads and looked towards the infinite heights in the illusory city in the spiritual world.
They saw illusory and fine lines of spirits.
A symbol was seen, composed of part "Pupilless Eye", part "Twisted Thread", a "Happy Smiling Face", and several "Hympathetic Knots".
With this symbol as the core, the silhouette of a second Crane was outlined, his eyes tightly closed.
Crane, surrounded by a torrent of public opinion, also raised his head and saw this scene.
His body quickly leaped out of the spirit world and flew to the highest point in the spirit world.
One by one, "Spirit Bugs," bits of Beyonder Characteristics, and bits of self-awareness were cast upon the first Crane, reshaping his somewhat illusory body and giving it gradually substance.
At this point, there was no clear boundary between Crane's spirit and flesh and blood. It was both unified and dispersed, in a very delicate state.
In other words, the spirit can be equal to the flesh and blood, and the flesh and blood can also be integrated into the spirit. As long as Klein is willing, he can transform between these two states at any time. Of course, he can also separate the flesh and blood and the spirit, each with its own characteristics. This is just a matter of thought.
Crane flew into the spirit world, and the second Crane also opened his eyes.
Floating in the depths of the spirit world, Crane opened his eyes, his pupils remaining dark without a trace of light.
He looked at Crane, his eyes were empty, devoid of humanity, only divinity.
The moment He opened His eyes, the entire spiritual world was in turmoil, as if the entire spiritual world was cheering and rejoicing.
This is not, and cannot be, the scene of the birth of a "mysterious attendant".
But at this moment, overwhelming negative public opinion emerged, turning into spearheads that pierced directly into the dark-eyed "Clean", turning into anchoring information, locking him down and forcing him to maintain the form of "Clean".
This Klein just raised his hand, wanting to mobilize the entire spiritual world to suppress and turn all these so-called commentators into puppets.
He knows, and He can do it.
Even though he doesn't even possess any extraordinary characteristics right now, as long as there is a "spiritual world", he can do it because he is the ruler of the spiritual world...
Phew.
A hand pierced His chest.
"The final step of the ceremony is to put an end to this public opinion."
"This is the final destination of every piece of groundless public opinion."
The voice of the ancient sun god resounded across the astral realm.
He said that Crane would have a smooth journey towards becoming the Lord of Mysteries.
And what He says will become reality.
At the same time, the power of the Lord of the Astral Realm descended, instantly severing his connection with the spiritual world.
The corporeal Crane raised his hand and pierced through the chest of the dark-eyed Crane.
Crane, with his dark eyes, stared at the scene without resistance or dodging.
The corners of his mouth just gradually lifted up, becoming wider and wider, gradually tearing the corners of his mouth and tearing his face.
"Heh." He laughed.
Damn it, these people actually tricked Him out and killed Him.
Although I won't actually die, it's a shame to have the consciousness I've secretly gathered so hard dissipate like this...
He looked up at the starry sky and saw the ancient sun god. In a trance, he seemed to see the God who had always been at odds with him.
Old stuff, write a script for me again