Louise muttered silently, withdrew her gaze, and in the corner of her eye, she glanced at the members of the Punisher team following her not far behind. Then, she turned and walked in another direction.
Considering the risks and uncertainties of the mission tonight, Earl Mistral refused Louise's request to go together.
Instead, he gave her another task: to take the Punisher team near the vampire settlement and wander around Bayam's urban area to attract the attention of the Church of Storms.
Unaware of the gaze from a certain member of the Chaos Council, Aaron walked down the gangway with a warm, gentle smile and headed towards a particularly conspicuous open space in the port area, followed by his personal guards, including Bayer-Bariel.
Standing in the open space was an old man whose hair had turned gray, but his spirit was still vigorous, as if he was ready to charge out at any moment and personally resolve any problems.
He was well-built, his muscles filling out his bishop's robe, and the wind rustled around him with his breathing, the air humid.
Aaron, who had already learned about him on the ship beforehand, smiled and extended his right hand, greeting him:
"Good afternoon, Your Eminence Joggori."
Diocesan Bishop Joggori, a Sequence 5 "Ocean Singer," was responsible for representing the Church of Waves in welcoming Aaron. A smile also appeared on his stern, rigid face, and he extended his hand:
"Good afternoon, Your Lordship."
Their hands clasped together, and several quick-witted journalists captured the moment, already having the headlines for tomorrow's newspaper's front page in mind.
Ignoring the surrounding noise, the two walked ahead and got into a luxurious carriage, discussing recent events or interesting stories from the sea.
Aaron was somewhat surprised to find that Bishop Joggori was quite talkative, which didn't quite fit the image of the irritable old men Aaron had in mind.
Even though Aaron had not chosen the Church of Storms as his faith and his opinions on the subsequent "Grain Act" differed from Duke Negan, who was supported by the Church of Storms, this did not change the cooperative interests between the East Taker family and the Church of Storms.
Given Aaron's identity as a devotee of the Goddess of the Night, the fact that a Sequence 5 bishop personally came to welcome him was enough to show the Church of Storms' sincerity.
Considering Aaron's identity as a devotee of the Goddess of the Night, the carriage did not head towards Narcissus Street in Bayam's St. George's District. Although it was a wealthy area, it was too close to the Church of Storms' Church of Waves.
Bishop Joggori thoughtfully arranged for Aaron to stay on Phil Street in Bayam's Southern District, which was the gathering area for Loen nobles.
After conveying Archbishop Yann-Courtman of the Rosed Sea's invitation for tomorrow, Bishop Joggori took his leave.
Thinking about the plan for tonight, Aaron's expression suddenly became a little strange. Watching the carriage drive away, he muttered to himself:
"Tomorrow? I wonder if His Excellency 'Sea King' will still have the energy to see me tomorrow?"
-----------------
Oak Manor outside Bayam City. The blood-red moonlight shone down, adding a touch of silence and eeriness.
Birds chirped and insects crawled in the woods, and occasionally small wild beasts darted by. Sharon, still dressed in her Gothic attire, walked very quickly on the humus-covered ground.
Since some unknown time, Sharon had always felt a faint unease in her heart, so she refused Maric's suggestion to act together and left almost all her items with Maric.
She only kept the potion given by Earl Mistral that could accelerate her fusion with the Spirit World, a specially made charm inscribed with the advancement ritual magic array, the already prepared Sequence 5 potion, and the charm given by Mr. Keeper.
Oak trees grew luxuriantly, their leaves interwoven, forming an almost impenetrable green barrier.
Moving through this forest, the light of the red moon could only sparsely filter through the thick leaves and fall on the ground, illuminating the dense bushes and wild grass.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Branches from the surrounding trees broke off, their surfaces covered in black and red ice shards, shooting towards Sharon like arrows.
And those dense bushes and wild grass also seemed to have their own vitality, connecting together and turning into an airtight, monstrous net that "pounced" over!
Suddenly, Sharon felt as if every tree, every leaf, every stone, every blade of grass around her wanted to kill her.
The unease she had felt in her heart was confirmed. Plans always fell short of changes. Before she could even begin her advancement, the Rose School appeared.
Spirituality surged. Just as Sharon was about to activate the charm given by Mr. Keeper, her body suddenly stiffened, and all her movements stopped.
Reflected in her azure pupils was "Blood Admiral" Senor, wearing a worn triangular hat, with sunken eyes and terrifyingly pale skin, looking more like a specter than a human.
The arrow-like branches pierced through the rigid Sharon and fell into the distance, while the monstrous net immediately completely enveloped everything there, wrapping into a sphere that gently Creep.
No sound was emitted, nor did blood ooze from within the monstrous net. There was only a paper figure, a paper figure that seemed to be condensed from the crimson moonlight.
The "Witch King's" substitute technique, Moon Paper Figure!
This was the "Moon Paper Figure" specially given by Earl Mistral before she left. It could take one fatal blow or a direct attack targeting the spirit body for Sharon.
Chapter 166 God's Container (Two in One)
As the "Moon Paper Figurine" shattered, Sharon, temporarily free from control, appeared not far away. The golden charm in her hand emitted a glow before breaking apart with a bang.
"Admiral of Blood" Senor's light brown eyes narrowed slightly, and a thin arrow, condensed from ice crystals and stained with a sinister green, shot towards Sharon's head at extreme speed.
Even with Sharon's Sequence 6 "Living Corpse" physique, taking that head-on would likely incapacitate her.
Just as Sharon was about to dodge, her sleeves tightened on their own, constricting inwards and binding her arms and forearms, like a giant bear giving a hug!
In just one or two seconds, she was bound in place by her own clothes, pants, and shoes.
Suddenly, pieces of bright red, pure light scales appeared, gathering together to form Count Mistral, dressed in a formal suit and bow tie.
Behind this blood kin, a thick black aura permeated, forming a pair of ethereal bat wings.
With a casual flick, he crushed the incoming arrow, broke the bindings on Sharon, and threw her far away from the area.
And where Sharon had been standing, the green grass suddenly withered, and the dark ground instantly turned white, as if it had been weathered for a long time.
This attack came silently, without any warning. If Count Mistral hadn't thrown Sharon away, she would have been severely injured, lost her combat ability, or even lost her life.
Count Mistral let out a "snort" (hng), his bright red eyes rippling with clear and crimson light, instantly illuminating the entire oak forest, as if a red moon had descended upon the place.
A figure was forcibly pulled out of the green trees by the crimson moonlight.
This figure could no longer maintain the state of being difficult for others to see, and quickly became semi-transparent and semi-real.
He was a dark-skinned old man with sparse white hair and deep wrinkles. His facial features had a distinct Southern Continent appearance. He was Jack, a high-ranking member of the "Rose School" and a Sequence 4 "Puppet" from the "Prisoner" pathway.
As his brown eyes reflected Count Mistral's appearance, the look of surprise on his face hadn't faded, yet he still opened his mouth without hesitation, seemingly ready to unleash the ultimate curse brewed during a long silence upon the other party.
Count Mistral's pupils reflected Jack's figure, and then he closed his eyes, allowing the crimson "moon" to be completely swallowed by darkness.
Deep, solidified darkness then appeared around Jack, binding him in place, freezing the scene there, and preventing his open mouth from making a sound.
Count Mistral, with his eyes closed, took out a bronze box inlaid with multiple rubies.
Inside the box was an eyeball-shaped glass sphere, a Grade 1 sealed artifact from the "Sun" domain called the "Pure White Vision," which he had applied for from within the blood kin for this long sea voyage.
It had a very good effect against demigods or "Witch Kings" from the "Mutant" pathway, and in some aspects, it could even be considered a counter.
Of course, it wouldn't feel pity and become merciful just because Mistral was its owner.
But time was pressing, and even though he possessed other sealed artifacts, none could truly severely injure a Sequence 4 "Puppet" in a short amount of time.
The longer it dragged on, the more likely it was to attract the attention of that "Sea King." Mistral decisively chose to use this sealed artifact.
Seemingly sensing the source of danger, Jack frowned, and a thick black flame ignited on his body, finally breaking free from the restraints. He continuously flashed in shallow puddles, animal eyes, and dew drops on grass, preventing Mistral from locating him.
.....
Aaron sat on the dark golden mist, using the prayer light spots provided by the charm Sharon had crushed, and frowned slightly as he watched the two sides fighting.
Because of Will Auceptin's warning, Aaron was very attentive to tonight's operation and had arrived on the dark golden mist early, ready to respond to Miss Sharon's call for help at any time.
With the true vision provided by the Beyonder characteristic, Aaron had already discovered Mistral hidden in the moonlight, as well as a stronger person hidden deeper who had not yet shown up, none other than Marquis Nibbs Audra, whom Aaron had previously spied on from the dark golden mist.
Even so, the sense of unease in Aaron's heart did not decrease at all. His heart sank slightly, and he beckoned the Black Emperor card, holding the "Staff of the Sun" through layers of dark golden mist. The "Ring of Mystery" on his left hand emitted a faint glow.
.....
Jack, relying on his demigod-level mirror flashing, constantly dodged Count Mistral's pursuit and rushed towards the seaside cliff far from Bayam.
Count Mistral, who was leaping with the help of the moonlight, suddenly raised his left hand, which was wearing a black velvet glove, and picked up the "Pure White Vision."
His expression instantly twisted for a moment as he experienced the pain of being completely exposed to scorching sunlight.
Enduring this feeling, he quickly brought the eyeball-shaped transparent glass sphere to his right eye.
All the forests ahead abruptly "disappeared" from his sight, leaving only a figure like a giant black vortex, frantically swallowing the surrounding light, making itself distorted.
This was Mistral's target, Jack the "Puppet," a high-ranking member of the "Rose School."
A point of light then lit up, condensing into a scorching, dazzling ray, shooting out from the "Pure White Vision" and heading straight for the distant figure.
Suddenly, on the cliff not far from the seaside, an illusory and hazy door, inscribed with numerous mysterious symbols, emerged. It was the "Gate of Summoning"!
With a faint creaking sound that seemed to echo only in spiritual bodies, the "Gate of Summoning" opened a crack.
A middle-aged man with a sense of mixed Southern and Northern Continent heritage, wearing a white robe inlaid with gold threads, stepped out from behind the door.
Accompanied by an invisible shriek that seemed to only echo in spiritual bodies, the scorching and dazzling ray instantly vanished into nothingness, and the aftershock spread towards Mistral.
In his brown eyes was an uncontrollable malice and madness. On his relatively thick lips were golden nails covered with fine patterns, sealing his entire mouth, giving him a feeling that was both evil and terrifying.
It was Mehamus, the Sequence 3 "Silent Disciple," who had been severely injured by Aaron before. On his shoulder now stood a small puppet filled with resentment, with complex patterns inscribed on its body and black branches wrapped around it.
The puppet's right hand was missing, which was quite a match for Mehamus, who had lost his left arm.
However, Aaron didn't pay attention to these minor details, his eyes fixed on Mehamus's remaining right hand.
Clutched there was a wet, sticky, palm-sized little person.
This little person had only one hole on its face, and from there, the extremely familiar dark golden mist that Aaron knew was being exhaled and inhaled. All the unease seemed to emanate from this little person.
Without any hesitation, Aaron activated his spirituality. The dark golden mist surged violently, and it seemed as if a real sun had risen in the palace. A light arrow, seemingly condensed from pure, immortal radiance, appeared.
At the same time, the red moon mark on Aaron's wrist glowed slightly, and a faint light appeared. Without any interference, it merged with the prayer light spot along with the light arrow.
Outside, Mistral fully activated the "Pure White Vision" to defend himself, and suddenly turned his head to look behind him. Marquis Nibbs, who had been preparing to attack in secret, also paused slightly.
A light arrow, condensed from pure, immortal radiance, seemed to appear out of thin air, shooting towards Mehamus with an aura that made the soul tremble.
The strange puppet on his shoulder seemed to sense what was about to happen and shrieked as it fled. Mehamus ignored it, a hint of mockery flashing across his face, and directly stuffed the little person in his hand into his mouth.
His body instantly turned black, his skin wrinkled and secreted obvious moisture, and his hair and eyebrows withered and fell off. After his limbs were replenished, they became thin and long.
In just one second, Mehamus seemed to have been assimilated by that little person, becoming a large, black, wet infant with thin, long limbs and swollen, dry, and wrinkled skin!
His eyes, nose, mouth, and ears detached from their original positions and moved towards the center of his face, seemingly gathering together to form a completely new organ.
Emitting an indescribable mystery and evil, Mistral, who was very close, only glanced at it, and red spots composed of fine particles protruded on his skin.
Marquis Nibbs's figure instantly appeared, pressing the "Pure White Vision" directly onto Mistral's forehead. With a muffled groan, he quickly used moonlight leaping to move away.
The next second, the light arrow shot directly into Mehamus's mutated body, piercing the black, swollen skin and causing the rotten black-green liquid inside to twist and deform in the pure radiance, but it did not dissipate.
After a series of roars like a baby crying, the "Gate of Summoning," which had shown signs of closing, seemed to be stimulated and was instantly completely opened by some unknown force. The high sky suddenly darkened, and an arm extended out!
This arm was ten meters long, its surface black and sticky, with strange protrusions that were either skull heads, three-dimensional eyes, or tongues with sharp teeth. As soon as it appeared, it made the entire forest shake.
All the green leaves withered, all the insects stiffened and died, all the wild beasts either collapsed on the ground or bit at themselves frantically, covered in blood!
The entire forest was decaying, as if something that could destroy everything was about to descend.
Just as that arm was about to fully extend, thick silver-white lightning bolts fell from the sky, illuminating the entire mountain peak and crackling as they connected together, forming a cage like those in myths and legends, enveloping the black, sticky arm.
Dark clouds rapidly gathered high up, growing eyebrows, eyes, and a mouth, as if a human face was hidden within!
The huge commotion just now alerted "Sea King" Arne Courtois in Bayam City. He didn't hesitate to strike from a distance and ordered the "Punishers" to activate the corresponding sealed artifacts.
Aaron on the dark golden mist was pale, leaning on the throne. The "Arrow of the Sun" just now had almost drained his spirituality.
The "Crimson Eye" floated quietly in mid-air, making Aaron's body seem to be enveloped in a thick crimson moonlight. His spirituality was constantly growing and replenishing.
Seeing that the grumpy old man had successfully blocked the arm extending from the "Gate of Summoning," Aaron breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Mehamus's previous location, his pupils shrinking rapidly.
His previously damaged body had already recovered. Mehamus, pierced by countless brown branches and suspended in mid-air, had a greatly distended belly. At times, a certain area would bulge and then flatten, as if he was gestating new life.
His mouth opened and closed, shouting madly. His face, which was not human-like and full of ferocity, was left only with fanaticism. Behind him, a mummy wrapped in yellowing bandages seemed to appear, and its figure became clearer and clearer.
Even through the prayer light spot, Aaron could still feel the soul-shaking aura, although it was still not as strong as the arm enveloped in the lightning storm in mid-air.
But his spiritual intuition told him that Mehamus, after devouring that strange little person, was gradually evolving into a semi-finished vessel for divine descent to some extent.
Aaron gritted his teeth and prepared to endure, giving this guy another "Arrow of the Sun." At this moment, almost instinctively, his gaze shifted slightly and looked up at the sky.
A figure with a feminine softness was quickly outlined there.
The figure wore a hood and a dark robe, staring blankly at the mutating Mehamus.
Then, all the mutations abruptly stopped. The mummy figure wrapped in yellowing bandages seemed to encounter an irresistible force, twisting and dissipating.
Mehamus, on the other hand, seemed to turn into a pencil drawing, quickly erased by an eraser, without any resistance, leaving only an expression of confusion mixed with unwillingness, and madness containing despair, etched in the mind of the only spectator at the scene.
"This..." Aaron's raised hand froze in mid-air. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he saw the figure turn its head, seemingly looking at him through the dark golden mist by some connection.
It was a beautiful face, but without any expression. The black eyes were dark and deep, but lacked spirituality.
Feeling that gaze and the chilling sensation from the red moon mark on his wrist, only one thought remained in Aaron's mind:
"Divine descent vessel, 0-17..."
Just as Aaron was still wondering how to respond, the corners of "0-17"'s mouth slowly pulled up, curving upwards into a smile. After looking up at the lightning storm in the high sky, which was like divine punishment, the figure instantly faded and disappeared from the spot.
And the other "people" around the battlefield seemed unable to see "0-17." They only saw Mehamus, who had been emitting an evil and terrifying aura, disappear from the spot with unwillingness and despair.
Jack's previously mocking and playful face instantly became distorted. He charged like a madman towards Mistral, whose strength had been greatly reduced due to contamination. The latter could only barely maintain himself with the "Pure White Vision."
Marquis Nibbs, the Sequence 3, blocked the ultimate target of this blood kin expedition not far away, that strange puppet corresponding to the Sequence 3 "Master of Summoning."
Aaron, whose spirituality had recovered significantly with the help of the "Crimson Eye," was hesitating which side to help when he saw a familiar figure through his true vision.
Jack, who was seriously injured in the fierce battle, suddenly stiffened all over, feeling an aura that he had only felt from a few high-level existences in the Rose School.
His remaining rationality made him turn his head slightly to look behind him. An eyeball with continuous and interwoven obscure patterns on its surface appeared out of thin air. It was Astol.
In Jack's disbelief, the spirit world gate behind Astol suddenly opened, and an irresistible force swept both of them into the spirit world.
#168Chapter 167 The End of "Blood Admiral"
After the mutated Mahams and Jax both met with accidents, Siah, who had transmitted power from a great distance using some method, was thoroughly enraged.
Just then, the surroundings suddenly darkened, not like before a heavy rain, nor due to a moonless, starless night; it was utterly silent, emitting a rotten smell.
Terrifying darkness swept towards the lightning storm, and roars that could cause all creatures' minds to go blank and briefly lose all thoughts echoed.
The arms in the lightning storm suddenly elongated, their surfaces black and sticky, as if evil liquid was flowing from them.
From these liquids grew pale skeletal heads, bloodshot eyeballs, sharp-toothed tongues, and various other bizarre and grotesque things.
An aura of extreme wickedness and madness rapidly spread, causing the forest below to instantly crack and dry up. Earl Mistral, severely wounded, had no time to think about what had just attacked Jax, and his body suddenly shattered into red moonlight.
The evil liquid transformed into a new black, sticky arm, stabbing with undiminished force towards Earl Mistral, who was reforming his body behind Nibbs-Odra.
A flicker of solemnity crossed Nibbs' eyes. With his left hand tightly restraining the strange Humanoid puppet, he chanted a sentence in ancient Hermes, then extended his right hand forward, conjuring a blurry, illusory door out of thin air, inscribed with many mysterious symbols.
A phantom figure, as if merely a projection, appeared behind the portal. Threads of blood-red silk surged from the projection's body, rushing towards the black, sticky arm.
Amidst sizzling sounds, everything vanished into nothingness. Unlike Siah's physical form, the projection of Duke Olmer, a Blood Race member, should not have possessed this level of power.
However, combined with the power transmitted through the summoning door of a fellow Sequence 'Summoning Master', this projection of 'Full Moon' possessed power close to that of an angel, though it was not long-lasting.
As this phantom figure stepped out of the portal, the ground, which had become dry and putrid due to Siah's mutated aura, instantly seemed to burst with new life, filled with the aura of growing things and new beginnings.
Just as Duke Olmer's projection entangled Siah, the sky above the battlefield immediately turned gloomy, seemingly containing an unspeakable natural wrath.
In just an instant, bolts of lightning of different colors leaped out from the high night sky, clawing and expanding wildly, seemingly engulfing the entire sky in an ocean of thunder.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Dull sounds echoed. In Beyam City, far away, many residents were startled awake, shouting about miracles. Louise stood behind a window, looking at the silver-white sky in the distance, lost in thought.
Hundreds of thick, silver-white lightning bolts fell from the sky, simultaneously striking the barrier formed by Siah in his Divine Abnormality state, turning the area into a forest of thunder, emitting a strong aura of destruction.
Rumble! Before the deafening sound spread, bolts of silver-white, scorching lightning covered the entire sky like a downpour, piercing the barrier and tearing apart all the corruption, secrecy, darkness, impurity, and evil.
A tall, burly middle-aged man with thick dark blue hair, wearing a Storm Priest robe, stood in mid-air, looking down at the ground below, his eyes containing obvious anger.
He was the Cardinal of the Church of the Storm, the Archbishop of the Rorsted Sea, a high-ranking Deacon of the 'Punishers', 'Sea King' Awn Cotman.
Electric snakes coiled around him, and his right hand was raised high, holding a scepter that radiated a terrifying aura of destruction.
It was precisely the Grade 0 Sealed Item wielded by Awn Cotman, the 'Scepter of Divine Punishment', code name 0-23, and the greatest backing of the Church of the Storm in suppressing the extraordinary world of the Rorsted Archipelago.
This Grade 0 Sealed Item had always been held by Awn Cotman, a Sequence 3 Beyonder. Once Awn Cotman left Beyam, the Rorsted Archipelago would, like other colonies of Loen, at most have two to three Grade 1 Sealed Items stationed there.
Looking at the arm that reluctantly retreated back into the portal amidst the destructive storm like a divine punishment, Awn Cotman's eyes no longer spewed flames, and the aura of destruction emanating from 0-23 slightly receded.
Awn Cotman slowly descended to the ground, feeling the life aura coiling around him. He suppressed the surging anger and slightly nodded towards the illusory projection; this was a mark of respect for an angel on the ground.
At this moment, the images of the previous battle still lingered in Awn Cotman's mind, remembering every participant:
A mysterious strongman suspected to be a high-level Beyonder of the Sun pathway or possessing a corresponding Sealed Item. Thinking of that detestable sun aura, Awn Cotman couldn't help but frown, yet he couldn't even track how the other party had attacked or disappeared.
The demigods and saints of the Rose School, the strange spiritual world creature that abruptly appeared, and the angel of the Rose School, as well as these Blood Race members in front of him.
The only one without divinity had escaped this area before Awn Cotman arrived, or more precisely, when the Rose School fell into decline. He could no longer be found afterwards.
However, Awn Cotman recognized him.
A pirate general with a bounty of 42,000 pounds, worthy of having his information placed on the 'Sea King''s desk!
Although this belonged to the less important kind, having experienced the 'Navigator' Sequence, Awn Cotman still remembered the relevant content.
Looking at the mess around him, Awn Cotman glared impolitely at Nibbs-Odra beside him, suppressing his anger and saying:
"I need an explanation..."
-----------------
As early as when Awn Cotman, holding that Grade 0 Sealed Item, and the projection radiating infinite vitality appeared, Aaron had voluntarily cut off his vision.
He didn't need to care about what happened next. If two couldn't defeat one, they might as well just find a place to bury themselves.
Sitting on the throne, under the illumination of the 'Crimson Eye', Aaron's spirituality had recovered by more than half.
He very restrainedly put away the 'Crimson Eye', avoiding its terrifying negative effects, then took out his divination pendulum and began a divination using a wisp of aura from the Admiral of Blood that he had intercepted earlier.
In the hazy dream fragments, Aaron saw a somewhat familiar street.
Admiral of Blood, Senor, whose old tricorn hat was missing somewhere, walked out from the mirror formed by the accumulated water on the street, his face still showing lingering shock and a gloomy expression.
Aaron opened his eyes with a strange expression. If he remembered correctly, that street was next to Phil Street in the South District of Beyam, very close to where he currently lived.
Firmly sealing the 'Scepter of the Sun', Aaron decided to bear the remaining negative effects after dealing with the Admiral of Blood, and his figure suddenly disappeared from the throne.
Senor tightly held a necklace made of pure silver, with a pendant of the same color shaped like an ancient coin hanging below.
Both sides were covered with mysterious patterns and symbols, and inscribed with an ancient Hermes inscription:
"However lucky you are now, you will be just as unlucky later."
It was by relying on the luck provided by this Sealed Item that he was able to escape the battlefield almost unharmed. Of course, this was also related to his low strength and not being the primary target.
The direction of the sea was covered by the battlefield. After leaving the battlefield, he decided to return to Beyam first and rendezvous with his crew, using some previously prepared means to hide in Beyam and leave after the situation cooled down.
But no matter what, tonight's operation had completely failed. Senor didn't dare to imagine what kind of punishment he would face in the future.
He trembled slightly as he recalled the battle just now, completely unaware that the necklace in his hand was emitting a faint light. As a 'Wraith', he didn't even notice that certain changes had occurred in the surrounding space.
Aaron appeared silently, accompanied by a short ancient Hermes phrase:
"Imprisonment!"
Senor's movements came to an abrupt halt. Transparent walls seemed to surround him, or perhaps extremely viscous liquid flowed around him.
Aaron knew that 'Wraiths' could transform their state into true phantoms and gain corresponding damage immunity, so he didn't delay.
The illusory black thread mass in his eyes receded, and two dazzling silver-white lightning bolts burst out from the depths to the surface.
'Inquisitor', 'Mental Stab'!
In a normal state, Senor's spirit-flesh integrated body would only be slightly affected, or even cause Aaron to suffer a backlash. But under the negative effects of the Sealed Item and the 'Imprisonment' decree, he could only forcefully endure this invisible arrow targeting the spirit body!
His mind felt as if a knife tip had drilled into it and violently stirred, and pain spread throughout his body, causing him to temporarily lose consciousness.
When he regained consciousness and prepared to continuously jump to create distance, he heard the decree of 'Prohibit Mirror Teleportation', and at the same time, an ancient longsword covered in blood-red patterns without a trace of rust continuously magnified in Senor's vision.
Using the 'Prohibition' decree, combined with the weak point attack provided by the 'Sword of Judgment''s harvest, aided by the positioning of the 'Death' decree and the interference of mental stab, the 'Sword of Judgment' directly struck Senor's head.
Senor, who only had time to transform into a semi-phantom state, faced the attack head-on. His head shattered in response, but no blood spurted; only a incomplete incomplete phantom dispersed amidst wails.
Even for a 'Wraith' whose body was like a spirit-flesh integration and could transform its state into a true phantom, this level of damage was considered a fatal injury.
Senor, who was reforming his body not far away, felt a surge of anger and despair. As if finally realizing something, he fiercely threw the silver necklace away.
Aaron secretly sighed in pity and briefly lamented;
"Wraiths sure have tough lives..."
Senor's face was pale. He opened his mouth, attempting to let out a wraith's shriek, and at the same time, condensed transparent ice crystal arrows tinged with some eerie green in front of him.
However, they were not aimed at Aaron, but at the surrounding streets and houses, seemingly trying to delay Aaron's actions and gain time to escape.
Aaron was already prepared. He spoke in a low voice and waved his left hand, which was not holding the sword:
"Exile!"
Senor immediately encountered a vast and invisible force. His entire spirit body was blown away, hitting the wall, hitting the invisible wall brought by 'Confinement', but not penetrating through it to leave.
Seizing this opportunity, the golden light in Aaron's eyes suddenly intensified. In an instant, he seemed to grow slightly taller, majestic like a great figure who could dominate others' lives.
Senor, who had just been freed from the 'Exile' state, immediately felt an immense, unfounded fear, and couldn't help but want to lower his head, to prostrate himself, to listen to every word of the other party, and obey his every command!
His movements became rather sluggish. In his pupils, Aaron, who was rapidly approaching, raised the 'Sword of Judgment' in his hand, and only one thought remained in his mind:
"This is impossible..."
Accompanied by a sound similar to shattering glass, the 'Sword of Judgment' passed through the spirit body, cleaving Senor into two halves.
Looking at the two halves of the body that had fallen to the ground after leaving the phantom state, Aaron took a deep breath, feeling the digestion of the 'Judge' potion.
Besides the trial and arbitration of extraordinary cases, establishing new rules for a certain area using the 'Judge''s decrees and judging Beyonders who did not comply with the rules could also lead to the digestion of the potion.
The feedback from judging a Sequence 5 also advanced Aaron's 'Judge' potion digestion considerably.
Opening his eyes with satisfaction, and seeing that Senor's Beyonder characteristic had not yet fully precipitated, Aaron turned around and picked up the silver pendant that had been thrown away earlier.
Looking at the inscription on it, "However lucky you are now, you will be just as unlucky later."
Aaron also somewhat understood why 'Admiral of Blood' Senor was lucky enough to escape a battlefield with angels participating almost unharmed, yet turned a corner and was unlucky enough to arrive near his residence.
He casually named the necklace 'Scale of Luck' and then took out a box with a spiritual wall from his person and placed it inside.
Aaron turned his head to look at the ground, only to see a little light condensing and shrinking on Senor's body, forming a translucent crystal mixed with many black and red blood threads.
After shaking off the eerie green blood clinging to the Beyonder characteristic and putting it away, and lifting the 'Confinement' decree on the surrounding area, Aaron stood quietly in place, waiting for the Punisher team from the Church of the Storm to arrive.
In just a moment, accompanied by intense wind, a short-haired man in a Storm Church clerical robe, riding the strong wind, avoiding obstacles, and gliding short distances in the air, landed steadily in front of Aaron.
As the captain of the Punisher team, already a Sequence 6 'Wind Blessed', he obviously arrived before the other team members.
Seeing that Marquis Aaron had not met with any accident, he breathed a sigh of relief and explained:
"Something happened in the Rorsted Archipelago tonight. Bishop Joffrey left Beyam, so there are only..."
Before he could finish speaking, the captain saw the two halves of the body lying on the ground, and his throat seemed to be choked, unable to speak further.
Even though it was covered in blood and its head was split in two, for the Punishers who were extremely familiar with pirates, especially well-known ones, they could recognize at a glance that this was the 'Admiral of Blood'.
Aaron, who was well aware of what had happened in the Rorsted Archipelago tonight, first coughed awkwardly, then very thoughtfully put the two halves of the head back together.
Aaron pointed to the body on the ground and then to the streets and walls damaged by the battle around them, saying to the still-stunned Punisher team captain:
"Yes, you can take the body. I'll have someone collect the bounty tomorrow. The cost of repairing these damaged walls can be deducted directly from the bounty."
#169Chapter 168: The Aftermath of the Battle
Looking at the corpse lying on the ground with a somewhat complicated gaze, the Deputy Punisher team captain's lips were a little dry. He nodded, and a thought flashed through his mind:
"Lord Aaron's strength is actually so formidable. That was a Pirate General, yet he was hunted down. It seems the situation on the sea will undergo massive changes from now on..."
One must know that every Pirate General is renowned throughout the five seas, second only to the Four Kings, not just because they represent a team or a faction with numerous Beyonders under their command.
It's also because they themselves are strong enough, at least possessing the strength to rival Sequence 5 Beyonders, especially a Pirate General like "Admiral of Blood" who has dominated the five seas for many years.
Even if the hunt was completed with the help of a magical item, it's enough to show that the person before him possesses the strength of a Pirate General.
If his respect before receiving Bishop Joger's mission was more due to Aaron's status, then now it has completely transformed into respect for a strong individual.
Aaron nodded lightly. With outsiders present, he didn't use Spirit World Teleportation. Instead, he lightly tapped his toes on the ground, and relying on his powerful physical constitution, his figure vanished like a ghost.
In a few leaps, Aaron returned to his villa, reassured Poyer-Bailer and the other ready-to-go guards, and went back to his bedroom.
Although he knew the Rose School would absolutely not appear in Bayam now, Aaron still didn't want to carry Senor's Beyonder characteristic with him. Sacrificing it to the dark golden mist and completely crushing and disinfecting it was the correct approach.
If he couldn't sense Astolfo's location at all right now and could only rely on the messenger's special perception to know that it was currently fine, he would have been worried.
Even if it was a sneak attack, the ability to instantly render a Sequence 4 Demigod incapable of resisting, and even take them away before they could use their Mythical Creature form for a final struggle, meant such strength wasn't something Aaron needed to worry about.
Aaron couldn't even divine its specific location from above the dark golden mist, using the connection between them. This should be the reason it hadn't been discovered in the Spirit World all these years.
He sacrificed the Beyonder characteristic and that strange "Scale of Luck" together to the dark golden mist. His consciousness sank, and Aaron returned to his throne.
He reached out and retrieved the "Scepter of Sundering" which was freely venting its power in the pile of miscellaneous items. Enduring the soul-burning pain, he cut open his wrist to let the blood soak the scepter, calming the remaining negative effects.
....
On the westernmost side of the Rosed Islands, a small town far from Bayam.
Maric looked towards Bayam in the southeast with a gloomy expression, sensing the aura of destruction transmitted from the silver-white sky.
Suddenly, his expression shifted slightly, and a hint of joy appeared between his brows. He looked towards a certain shadow, where the Gothic-styled Sharon was standing.
The original plan had some deviations. The Rose School's attack was much earlier than expected, so after completing her decoy mission, Sharon immediately gave up the idea of advancing and quickly withdrew from the battlefield.
That powerhouse from the Blood Race cooperated well by entangling the Rose School members, giving Sharon enough time to escape.
Turning misfortune into fortune, she thus didn't participate in the subsequent major battle, remained in good condition without significant injuries, and didn't get blacklisted by a certain angry "Sea King."
Regardless of the final outcome of the plan, Bayam would definitely usher in a round of purges. To avoid being caught red-handed by the angry Church of the Storm and adding trouble,
So, even before the plan began, she had arranged for Maric to leave Bayam with all their belongings, agreeing to finally meet in this small coastal town.
Sharon, who had just escaped from danger, responded with a calm "Mm," and her clear, cold voice then sounded:
"The Rose School people shouldn't come to the Rosed Islands again in the short term. This place is far enough from Bayam. Let's go to the seaside to continue completing my advancement ritual."
She had previously drunk a potion concocted by Earl Mistral that could help accelerate her integration into the Spirit World to complete the ritual. The effects of the potion hadn't completely disappeared yet, making this the best time.
Looking at Sharon's determined eyes and knowing how dangerous the advancement ritual was, Maric ultimately swallowed his words of dissuasion and went to the seaside with Sharon.
....
On the desolate beach, Sharon stood alone and drank the prepared potion in one gulp.
As spirituality surged in, the charms inscribed with the advancement ritual shattered, transforming into complex patterns that wrapped around Sharon, who was standing on the beach, layer by layer.
Waves of obscure fluctuations emanated, accompanied by the appearance of a space rich in color, like an ink painting.
Sharon's body, which was as hard as steel and could even block bullets and cannonballs, crumbled inch by inch under the wrapping of the complex patterns.
Even Sharon let out a low growl from her throat. The extreme pain stimulated the desire for slaughter and bloodlust that she had always suppressed.
Under such inhuman torment, Sharon's body completely shattered, turning into illusory points of light that surged into the Spirit World space resembling an ink painting.
Coming into contact with the chaotic and complex Spirit World information, she was baptized and transformed bit by bit. But Sharon wasn't immersed in it; her consciousness quickly became clear. She looked around while simultaneously sensing her current state.
Before Sharon could sort through the knowledge that had appeared out of nowhere in her mind, she, in her Wraith state, suddenly tilted her head slightly to look behind her, her pupils contracting slightly.
A massive sailing ship was cruising in the Spirit World. Its color was predominantly dark and heavy, tinged with a sinister green. On the pale main sail, a blooming dark tulip was depicted.
This was "Admiral of Hell" Ludwell's flagship, the "Black Tulip"!
And on it, white skeletons, some unclothed and some wearing leather armor, were busy operating the sails. Pale zombies, carrying long swords, patrolled back and forth, surveying their surroundings with eyes burning with sinister green flames.
Wraiths, vengeful spirits, and various strange Spirit World creatures sometimes flew and circled, and sometimes drilled into the hull, causing transparent faces with indistinct features to protrude from the sides.
Sharon could clearly see that there was only one living person on the "Black Tulip," and that was the man dressed as a captain, standing on the foredeck and quietly looking this way.
He wore an exaggerated tricorn hat embroidered with a white skull and adorned with feathers, a white shirt with lace trim, and a complex and ornate brown short jacket. A slender rapier hung from the tan leather belt that secured his white tight pants.
The man's face was covered by a silver-white mask. His features and contours were hidden within. Around the holes symbolizing the positions of the eyes, nose, and mouth, cold lines inspired awe.
This completely matched the rumored image of "Admiral of Hell" Ludwell!
"Admiral of Hell" Ludwell immediately looked up at the strangely-shaped Sharon. Like a hunter who had caught his prey, the two pale flames in the eye sockets of the silver-white mask clearly flickered twice.
Watching the "Black Tulip" sail towards her at high speed, Sharon's heart sank to the bottom. The joy of her impending advancement vanished completely.
"I must lead Ludwell away from this area of the Spirit World. I cannot involve Maric outside the Spirit World."
Thinking this, just as Sharon was preparing to fight to the death, the "Black Tulip," which had been sailing towards her, suddenly fled rapidly at an even faster speed than it had arrived.
Under Sharon's surprised gaze, Ludwell, standing on the foredeck, suddenly raised his hand and pressed it to his face, removing the silver-white mask.
Deep, pale light suddenly burst forth from behind the mask, causing the dark, heavy square ring on Ludwell's left index finger to instantly spread out an endless silence.
In the direction the "Black Tulip" retreated, a bronze door suddenly appeared, accompanied by the influx of endless silence.
This door, covered in mysterious patterns, rapidly expanded to over thirty meters high, as if connecting to another world, different from the current one.
Clang!
The bronze door suddenly swung open, and an unspeakable darkness surged out, enveloping the entire "Black Tulip."
Pulled by the darkness, this massive sailing ship quickly sailed into the bronze door, heading towards another world.
"Admiral of Hell" Ludwell stood at the bow, slightly tilting his head. His face was covered by pale light, making his specific appearance unclear.
His gaze first fell upon Sharon, as if to remember this prey, but he didn't attempt to attack again, seemingly restricted by the surrounding darkness.
He then looked behind Sharon. The pale flames flickering in his eyes trembled, as if he had seen something extremely terrifying.
Accompanied by a terrifying pressure originating from the level of life itself, before Sharon could turn her head, her figure was enveloped by a ball of white light. As strange patterns flowed, all fluctuations were concealed.
A giant foot landed, stepping into the interspersed red and blue color blocks. Above the foot was a festering long leg dripping with yellowish-green fluid, exceeding three meters in length. Further up was a massive body wrapped in corpse oil bandages.
"He" stomped towards the location where the "Black Tulip" had been. The original bronze door had already disappeared, leaving only residual black mist that dissolved into pus and adhered to His foot.
Seemingly having lost the target that was originally attracting Him, this terrifying Spirit World creature stepped away from this area of the Spirit World.
Sharon watched this scene through a layer of pure white light membrane, but her body didn't relax at all, because an equally terrifying aura was coming from the figure in front of her.
Rather than a "person," it was more like a humanoid cocoon of light, within which something seemed to be gestating. The light membrane that had just blocked the terrifying creature's perception was released by it.
Sharon didn't know the other party's identity, nor did she know the reason they saved her. Just as she was about to tentatively speak, her gaze froze.
A ferocious and terrifying face appeared on the surface of the light cocoon, like an afterimage that vanished in an instant, but Sharon had already recognized that face.
It was precisely Jacks, a high-ranking member of the "Rose School" who had acted before, a Sequence 4 "Puppet" from the "Prisoner" pathway.
Her thoughts exploded in her mind. For a moment, Sharon didn't know what to say. After a few seconds of staring blankly, she noticed that the gaze transmitted by the mysterious light cocoon in front of her seemed to be lingering on her wrist.
A symbol composed of a scale representing order and a scepter symbolizing control had appeared there, emitting a faint glow.
And this symbol had only appeared on her wrist after she participated in the Chaotic Parliament held by that great existence who called himself the Lord of Order.
A guess surfaced in Sharon's mind. Without giving her time to think, a strange fluctuation emanated from the light cocoon, sweeping towards Sharon.
The baptism and transformation process, which had been interrupted after being enveloped by the light membrane, advanced at an incredible speed. After only a moment, accompanied by a crisp sound that only Sharon could hear, she officially advanced to Sequence 5 "Wraith."
-----------------
The next morning, Aaron, looking pale because the "Scepter of Sundering" had absorbed too much blood, sat on the spacious and luxurious sofa in the living room.
Bishop Joger, sitting on the opposite sofa, looked travel-worn and very tired. He forced a smile and said:
"Last night, a very serious extraordinary incident occurred in Bayam. All the church clergy were mobilized, including His Grace the Archbishop and the Deputy Punisher teams."
"Due to the suddenness of the matter and its wide scope, the meeting originally scheduled for today with His Grace the Archbishop had to be temporarily canceled."
He smiled apologetically and pushed the box placed before him towards Aaron:
"However, I truly didn't expect His Lordship's strength to have reached such a level. This is Senor's bounty, a total of 42,000 pounds. I brought it with me."
"As for the street repairs, we will bear the cost. After all, allowing a Pirate General to swagger openly within Bayam City was our oversight."
Aaron nodded, not counting the pounds in the box. He deliberately put on a curious expression and asked:
"Bishop Joger, is it convenient to reveal what happened last night? Who exactly dared to cause trouble in Bayam?"
Bishop Joger hesitated for a moment, but thinking that this matter would definitely be in the newspapers later, there was no need to conceal it.
So, after deleting what he thought might involve the Church of the Storm's secrets, he roughly recounted the version he knew, which was also the announcement the Church of the Storm was about to release to the public.
The core content of the announcement can be summarized as:
"The Rose School's conspiracy plotted last night at Oak Manor outside Bayam City was crushed by the Archbishop of the Church of the Storm, and several important members were killed..."
"It seems the Blood Race must have paid something in exchange for Aaron Curtman to shift all the blame onto the Rose School," Aaron thought to himself after listening carefully.
And due to last night's events, Bayam would undergo a day-long city-wide search, and no ships from any port in the Rosed Islands would be allowed to set sail.
After chatting for a while, Aaron, who hadn't managed to extract any other useful information, saw off the bishop who had been working all night.
Sitting on the sofa, Aaron had just poured himself a glass of Sunia Blood Wine when he heard a rhythmic knocking sound at the door.
Aaron thought it was Bishop Joger who had returned specifically because he had forgotten to mention something, so he put down his glass and opened the door himself.
Along with the creak of the opening door, Aaron immediately saw an old man wearing a black short jacket and leaning on a sturdy cane.
The old man's hair was white as snow, his face had no obvious wrinkles, but he wore a black eye patch that covered his entire vision.
"Good morning, Lord Aaron. I am Councilor Reychod of the Life Council. I believe the Chairman must have mentioned me to you. It is an honor to meet you."
He then very considerately pointed to his eye patch and explained with a chuckle.
"I am very sorry, but I can only meet you like this."
"When I woke up this morning, I suddenly had a premonition that I shouldn't open my eyes to see anything today. To prevent any accidents, I had no choice but to wear an eye patch."
Chapter 169: The Visit of "Orange Light"
"This is something else. I really can't compare to this unique fortune-teller style of the Fate Pathway. But how did you find this place with your eyes covered? Could it be the guidance of fate again?"
Looking at the gentleman, Aaron felt both amused and astonished for a moment, and couldn't help but grumble inwardly.
Immediately, he also understood the accurate interpretation of the other party's premonition: don't look at him!
Aaron knew that Beyonders of the 'Monster' Pathway could see things others couldn't, so even though most of his peculiarities were concealed, Will Aucetin could still vaguely perceive something.
"Councillor Rejoice had a premonition of danger and put on a blindfold in advance. Sigh, if it weren't for this, I would have planned to ask him what he could see..."
Although Aaron was also very curious about what could be seen from him with such a special perspective, he didn't have the hobby of forcing others to harm themselves. He reined in his thoughts and instead invited the gentleman into the living room.
Rejoice leaned on his cane, walking slowly slightly behind and to the side, without needing anyone to support or guide him, as if he wasn't wearing a blindfold at all.
Recalling what Will Aucetin had said in the dream before, Aaron also guessed that it was He who had sent this gentleman to find him, and waited for the gentleman to state his purpose.
Rejoice sat on the sofa and turned his head towards Aaron, but the dark blindfold covered all his sight.
He paused for a few seconds and smiled slightly:
"Mr. Speaker asked me to inform you that the source of danger He previously prophesied has disappeared. You can rest assured now."
"Also, if your subsequent actions require Mr. Speaker's personal assistance, you can come to me in advance. This will be safer."
Aaron nodded. Although he wanted to know why this would be safer, considering it might involve the secrets of the Council of Life, he suppressed the urge to ask.
Councillor Rejoice on the sofa had no intention of explaining and continued:
"I will stay in Bayam for one to two months. This is also thanks to His Lordship the Viscount who severely weakened the Rose School. They are no longer able to track me and only need to deal with the searches by the royal family and the military."
"During this period, if you need help, you can come to 76 Iris Street to find me."
"If by chance I leave Bayam later, you can also go to Olavi Island and find Kano the Bell Ringer in the port city. He will take you to me."
Aaron's expression froze slightly. He wasn't sure how much Will Aucetin had told him. After noting down the name and location in his mind, he cleared his throat:
"Mr. Councillor, you flatter me. All this credit belongs to 'Sea King'."
Then, as if remembering something, he said to Rejoice:
"Please wait here for a moment, I'll go get something."
A moment later, Aaron returned to the living room with the 'Scale of Luck'. Looking at Councillor Rejoice, who had unconsciously straightened his back, he placed the Sealed Artifact across from him.
Rejoice seemed to have recognized the residual aura on the Sealed Artifact through the peculiarities of the Fate Pathway. His mood became complicated instantly, and he didn't ask Aaron how he had obtained this Sealed Artifact.
He simply took out a wooden box from his pocket, inside which was a pitch-black button-like object wrapped in an amber-colored shell.
He placed the opened wooden box next to the 'Scale of Luck', and his eyes, covered by the blindfold, looked towards Aaron and said:
"This is a magical item I carry with me. Although its sequence only corresponds to Sequence 6 'Demon', for some people, its value even exceeds that of some Sequence 5 magical items."
"Its name is 'Demon Button'. It was personally crafted by Mr. Speaker, and besides retaining some fire and defilement spells, the most precious thing is that it has almost perfectly preserved the demon's ability to predict danger."
"If someone can cause fatal harm to the holder in a very short period of time and has taken action to put it into practice."
"Then the holder can sense and perceive it, and grasp where the danger comes from and who it comes from, allowing for targeted elimination or retaliation."
"Different users have different ranges for the intuition to take effect, varying from a few minutes to a day in time, and from a few kilometers to a metropolitan area in distance, which depends on the holder's spirituality strength."
"Hmm, the reason I was able to escape the heavy encirclement of the Rose School in the Southern Continent back then was also because of its help."
"As for its negative effects, prolonged wearing will only bring about negative psychological states like cold-bloodedness and indifference to life. Well, this is not something difficult to resolve."
Saying this, he pointed to the bedroom on the second floor and added:
"As long as you regulate it regularly, the pet you keep can help you eliminate its negative effects."
Even though he couldn't see Aaron's suddenly brightening eyes, Rejoice, who could sense the corresponding emotional fluctuations, chuckled, pushed it towards Aaron, and at the same time pointed to the 'Scale of Luck' on the table.
"Presumably, you also know the peculiarity of this Sealed Artifact. It's very difficult for a Beyonder not of the Fate Pathway to properly control how to use luck and how to deal with sudden misfortune."
"And this often brings unbearable consequences to the user. The Southern Continent is not just the Rose School. A magical item that can predict danger will definitely help you a lot."
"I would like to exchange this magical item for this Sealed Artifact. I wonder what His Lordship the Viscount thinks?"
Swallowing back the "Okay" that had reached his throat, Aaron pretended to think for two or three seconds before nodding reservedly.
For Aaron, exchanging a Sealed Artifact that was extremely useless and could even backstab its owner at a critical moment for such a useful magical item was definitely a profit.
It was a trophy anyway, a no-cost business. Getting an exchange was a profit.
Seeing Aaron nod, Rejoice smiled, picked up the 'Scale of Luck' from the table, put it into his pocket, and reminded him:
"The ability to predict danger is not omnipotent. Some Beyonders can conceal their actions and intentions, making it impossible for the target who can predict danger to perceive them."
"This could be a characteristic of their pathway, or it could be achieved through certain Sealed Artifacts or other means. Therefore, in some special circumstances, even if you don't predict danger, you must be careful and cautious."
After exchanging the 'Demon Button' from Councillor Rejoice, Aaron nodded and secretly noted it down. Only after the gentleman had no further additions and proposed to leave did Aaron get up to see him off.
After the person left, Aaron took out his divination pendant, suspended it over the 'Demon Button', and performed a divination. Only after confirming there was no danger and that its functions and negative effects were almost exactly as Rejoice had described did he wear it on his jacket.
The only thing that needed to be added was the perception of malice that came with predicting danger, which was not limited to sources of malice that would only cause fatal harm to the user.
Ordinary dangers and malice could also be sensed and perceived, and the source of the malice grasped, which could render most ambushes ineffective against him.
However, this frequent perception of malice could, to some extent, be considered a negative effect. On a real battlefield, it might even interfere with the most crucial prediction of danger.
Just as Aaron was fiddling with and studying this newly acquired magical item, there was another knocking sound at the door.
"What's going on today? The door has been knocked on three times in a row this morning. Who is it this time?"
Not sensing any malice from the 'Demon Button', Aaron put the item away somewhat speechlessly, walked to the door, and pulled it open.
Outside the door was a thin visitor with gray but messy hair. He was wearing a cotton jacket that wasn't quite suitable for Bayam's current weather, covered by a wool coat, and was popping a coffee-colored candy into his mouth.
Aaron, who had seen a portrait of him at 'White Shark' Hamilton's place in Damir Port before, immediately recognized the visitor.
Turani von Hermeswin!
Or more accurately, 'Orange Light' Hilarion.
Hmm? Why would He come looking for me? I'm not a Great Ruler above the Spirit World, what kind of connection could I have with the Seven Lights? Also, how did He find me?
A string of questions flashed through Aaron's mind, but he didn't ask. The visitor was a guest, and Aaron politely invited Him into the villa.
Hermeswin seemed very pleased with Aaron's attitude. He walked in, sat on the sofa, and smiled:
"Good morning. Please allow me to introduce myself. You can call me Turani von Hermeswin, or you can call me 'Orange Light' Hilarion."
"Ho ho, it was also because of the last Blood Moon and last night's battle that I recalled many things, so I decided to find you before I leave."
Not knowing what purpose this Orange Light held, Aaron nodded cautiously, then asked in confusion:
"May I ask what matter you have?"
Hermeswin chuckled:
"I'm here to give you a reminder: be careful of the 'Mother Tree of Desire'!
"Even if you have thwarted the Rose School's actions multiple times, those minions don't represent much."
"Furthermore, in the last battle, your messenger has been exposed to that existence's sight. In the next few years, the body He left in the Spirit World will suffer even more violent erosion."
"Even if I and the other Pure Lights do our best to help, we cannot offer much assistance with this kind of erosion originating from the Sequence system."
"The only good news is that it met you and has now recovered to the demigod level, giving this matter a turn for the better."
Aaron nodded in silence. Just as he was about to speak, Hermeswin continued:
"Even if certain characteristics about you are concealed, for a few special, high-level Spirit World creatures, as long as they have come into close contact, they can still see some clues."
"Several deities with unique authorities or Beyonders representing fate can also discover this to varying degrees. Of course, the prerequisite is having come into close contact."
"And in the 'Yellow Light's' prophecy, an existence corresponding to a similar characteristic will be one of the variables of the apocalypse. However, I cannot be certain; there are too many possibilities for you to possess that characteristic."
"For example, His favored one, His child, His chosen divine messenger. But this doesn't prevent me from expressing friendliness."
Hearing the word 'favored one', Aaron instinctively felt a little guilty. He calmed his mind, and thinking of what He had said about "before I leave", he changed the subject and asked:
"Mr. Hermeswin, is it convenient to know where you are planning to go?"
Hermeswin crunched on a candy, revealing a satisfied smile before answering:
"The Sea of Fog, the entrance to the Abyss."
He glanced at the slightly surprised Aaron, and then briefly explained:
"Unlike the Chained God, the 'Dark Side of the Universe' at the top of the Abyss Pathway was eroded by the Mother Tree of Desire very early on."
"Anyway, this body won't live for many more years. As the apocalypse approaches, I also need to observe the current state of the Abyss up close."
Aaron pondered, and after a moment of deliberation, asked:
"Mr. Hermeswin, I would like to know if there is truly a passage in the Abyss that leads to the Forsaken Land of the Gods?"
Hermeswin put away his smile and warned with a serious expression:
"There is indeed a passage, but its location can already be considered the boundary between the outer and inner Abyss. It can no longer be described simply as dangerous."
"Even angels will be corrupted if they stay for too long, let alone you who haven't become a demigod yet."
"Even if you manage to enter that passage while the 'Dark Side of the Universe' isn't paying attention, once you attract His attention, you won't be able to return. It can be said to be a dead end with no return."
Looking at Hermeswin's serious face, Aaron coughed lightly and explained:
"I was just curious about the answer to this question and won't personally explore it."
At the same time, he pondered the information revealed in the words of Hermeswin, this incarnation of Orange Light.
"First, the Abyss can indeed lead to the Forsaken Land of the Gods, and Orange Light also knows the specific location of that passage."
"Secondly, non-'Chained' or 'Abyss' Pathway Beyonders who possess the status of an angel or are close to it have a chance to enter that passage at a very small cost."
"Hmm, but there is only one such chance. Once the 'Dark Side of the Universe' is on guard, that place becomes a true dead end."
However, Aaron only needed one opportunity to send someone in first. As for coming out, he certainly wouldn't go through the Abyss again. Moreover, the best candidate for the task was still sleeping in the Ghost Empire, so Aaron was not in a hurry.
Looking at the pensive Aaron, Hermeswin sighed, popped a candy into his mouth, and then said indistinctly:
"Later, if you need help, you can use the 'Mystic Ritual' to pray to my true form, 'Orange Light' Hilarion."
"When you become a demigod and are capable of exploring the depths of the Spirit World, we will have a chance to meet again."
Aaron broke free from his thoughts, remained silent for a second, and said:
"Thank you for your reminder, Mr. Hermeswin."
-----------------
Rosedale Islands, Bayam Governor's Mansion of the 'City of Generosity'.
This place serves as the colonial rule pivot of the Loen Kingdom in the Mid-Sounia Sea and is also the naval headquarters for the Mid-Sounia Sea.
In the spacious, grand, and luxurious reception hall of the Governor's Mansion, only three people were seated, representing the Governor's Mansion, the Loen military, and the Church of Storms respectively.
Without ceremony, seated in the main position was 'Sea King' Aran Coteau. To his lower sides were Admiral Emilius, who had just returned from inspecting the Olavi Naval Base in the past few days, and George Negan, the Governor of the Rosedale Islands, who should have been in the main position.
And George Negan, the weakest of the three, only at Sequence 5, who had only become the Governor of the Rosedale Islands thanks to a Grade 1 Sealed Artifact and the operations of the Negan family, finally couldn't stand the oppressive and dull atmosphere and spoke cautiously:
"The cause and course of events are roughly clear. The losses were only a manor outside the city and a few mountain peaks. Bayam itself did not suffer any damage."
"Instead, we even killed several important members of the Rose School. I think this is a great victory..."
#171Chapter 170 Meeting and Leaving
Before the Governor could continue his impassioned speech, Admiral Emlyn, sitting opposite him, scoffed and interrupted him sarcastically.
"Heh, those vermin were slain by His Excellency the Sea King. What does that have to do with you, the Governor?"
"The Rosed Island Archipelago has been infiltrated by the Rose School to this extent, and you still have the nerve to utter the word 'great victory'."
Within his azure eyes seemed to hide an unquestionable and irrefutable authority, an authority unique to a "Rite Master".
Originally, under his push, the position of Governor of the Rosed Island Archipelago should have been held by his younger brother, Austen-Levitt, but partly due to the King's consideration for balance and partly due to the operations of the Negan family, his wish ultimately did not come true.
Even though Austen-Levitt later obtained the position of Governor of Olavi Island as compensation, Admiral Emlyn still couldn't stand the Governor who had snatched the position halfway and didn't mind causing him some trouble.
George Negan, the Governor of the Rosed Island Archipelago, immediately showed a very complicated expression. Awed by the other party's status and unable to retaliate, he let out a cold snort to express his dissatisfaction and then fell silent.
Admiral Emlyn's lips curled up. He then turned to look at Archbishop Arnon Cottman, who sat in the main seat in silence. His tone lost its previous arrogance and sarcasm as he carefully spoke:
"Your Excellency the Archbishop, it is regrettable that this has happened, but I can represent the Central Sonia Sea Navy and promise to fully strike at the Rose School's maritime forces, giving them a long-lasting lesson."
Arnon Cottman's primary position was a high-ranking deacon of the "Punishers". However, as the archipelago is isolated overseas, he also held the concurrent position of Cardinal for the sake of unified authority, and his style of action was closer to that of a "Punisher" - decisive and resolute.
As he spoke, he seemed to remember something, and the smile on his face became even more pronounced. He glanced at George Negan, who had a cold face opposite him, revealing his inherent arrogance beneath a serious demeanor.
"The Admiral of Blood, who was backed by the Rose School, seems to have been killed by Lord Aaron, who came from Backlund. Well, I think this is a great opportunity for publicity and can also suppress the arrogance of the Rose School."
As members of the military faction, he didn't mind doing a favor, and it could also annoy the Negan family, who were at odds with the East Taggart family in Backlund.
George Negan seemed to want to say something, but feeling somewhat derelict in his duty, he ultimately closed his mouth.
Completely unconcerned with their verbal sparring, "Sea King" Arnon Cottman withdrew his gaze from the south of Bayam City and slowly nodded.
-----------------
South of Bayam City, Narcissus Street, St. George's District, Number 20.
A carriage of antique style slowly stopped. Earl Mistral, with a pale face, got off alone and knocked on the door.
Hearing the sound, Louise quickly opened the door. Upon seeing the visitor, her tense face finally relaxed.
As early as after the storm ended last night, Louise had learned from her prayers that the operation was successful, but Earl Mistral had not returned, which kept her from truly feeling at ease.
After Earl Mistral sat on the sofa, Louise looked at his pale face and asked with some concern:
"Grandfather, last night's operation..."
Earl Mistral slightly raised his hand to stop her words, and an illusory blood moon emerged from behind him.
The room was enveloped in bloody moonlight. After isolating the inside from the outside, he slowly spoke:
"Last night's operation was successful. The powerful figure you invited helped us obtain the Sealed Artifact corresponding to 'Summoning Master'."
As Earl Mistral spoke, he recalled the radiant arrow that made him tremble all over, as if it could purify everything. His face was slightly unnatural, but he continued:
"He even killed two demigods from the Rose School, including a Saint."
Louise, listening nearby, widened her blood-red eyes. A Saint was a respectful title for a Sequence 3 powerhouse. Within the Blood Race, that corresponded to a Marquis.
Even a Beyonder was this powerful... Louise didn't dare to think further.
Looking at Louise's strange expression, Earl Mistral put away the look on his face, sighed, and added:
"Even though the plan was successfully completed, we still stirred up some trouble."
"Besides offering some compensation, that Sea King also demanded that we go to the Southern Continent to jointly encircle and suppress the Rose School, as the price for this incident."
"Marquis Nibais has already personally taken that Sealed Artifact back to the Blood Race headquarters, to Duke 'Full Moon'. He will return afterwards to join us in going to the Southern Continent."
"Your hunting competition with the other Barons to become a Viscount will also officially begin in the Southern Continent. Try to go out less during this time and familiarize yourself more with your Beyonder abilities."
Upon hearing this, Louise immediately broke free from her own thoughts and nodded hastily.
-----------------
Three days after the battle outside Bayam City ended, led by Bishop Jogli, Aaron took a carriage to Bayam's largest Church of Storms - the "Sea Wave Cathedral".
It had a classical style, making extensive use of stone columns and arches, with a towering large dome and two bell towers.
Standing at the church entrance, Aaron didn't rush in. Instead, he examined the dark and mysterious atmosphere inside through the light filtering in from the narrow windows high up, and the warm candlelight illuminating the areas of human activity.
Then, following Bishop Jogli, he passed through the ancient and majestic dome carved with wave reliefs, through the prayer hall, and arrived at the great hall behind it.
In the center of the magnificent hall was a tall and sturdy middle-aged man with hard, defined facial features and clearly defined muscles that filled out his loose Storms priest robe.
This was precisely the Cardinal of the Church of Storms, the Archbishop of the Rosed Sea area, a high-ranking deacon of the "Punishers", "Sea King" Arnon Cottman.
He had deep blue eyes, and his hair of the same color was twice as thick as a normal person's, like small worms or tentacles. A terrifying aura emanated from him.
To his side and slightly below sat a middle-aged gentleman in military uniform with black hair and blue eyes, exuding an authority that could not be refused or debated.
Aaron was very familiar with that sense of authority. He had often felt it from Joseph Wall when he was in Backlund. It was the oppressive force originating from a "Rite Master".
Even without seeing a photo, combining the other party's strength and characteristics, Aaron had already guessed that this gentleman should be the "Weaver", Emlyn-Levitt.
Feeling a little puzzled as to why this person was here, he didn't stop his movements and bowed to the two powerhouses:
"Good afternoon, Your Excellency the Archbishop, Admiral."
Arnon Cottman nodded inwardly, withdrawing the oppressive force that permeated the hall, acknowledging Aaron's strength in killing the Admiral of Blood alone. He then spoke plainly:
"I heard from Jogli that you are leaving Bayam tonight?"
Aaron nodded and explained:
"It is already mid-February, and the date for taking office stipulated by His Majesty the King is fast approaching. I must reach the Southern Continent before the end of February, which is why I appear somewhat rushed."
Admiral Emlyn on the side spoke with a hint of regret:
"Is that so? I was hoping to invite you to visit Olavi Island."
Visiting Olavi Island? I hope I don't end up being forcibly impregnated by the Mother Tree of Desire instead of having a pleasant visit...
Aaron's expression froze for a second, then he lightly coughed to cover it up:
"Thank you for your kind invitation, Admiral, but I am indeed pressed for time right now. When I return to Backlund to report at the end of the year, I will definitely visit in person."
Arnon Cottman waited until their conversation was finished before continuing:
"The news of you killing the Admiral of Blood has spread throughout the Five Seas. Even though the Rose School has suffered a heavy blow, they are still rampant in the Southern Continent."
"They will not give up on retaliating against you. You may not know this, but some powerhouses from the Blood Race will also go to the Southern Continent to encircle and suppress the Rose School. This is a token I made. With it, you can get their help once for free when the time comes."
Saying this, he threw over a token. Aaron raised his hand to catch it, and upon contact, felt a tingling sensation like electricity.
The front of the token depicted a giant stepping on lightning and waves, and the back was carved with "Arnon Cottman" in starlight...
-----------------
On the edge of the Fog Sea, southwest of the Oladeck Archipelago, the "Golden Dream" was sailing through the thin fog and the azure ocean.
"Iceberg Admiral" Edwina Edwards sat behind the desk in the captain's cabin, with the sunlight filtering through the mist falling on her.
Her light blue eyes, clear as spring water, scrutinized Ferran, who stood opposite the desk, until the cuckoo clock on the wall chimed before she withdrew her gaze.
Ferran seized the opportunity to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. He saw his captain take out a book bound with parchment from a compartment in the desk. On the surface of the dark brown cover was a line of ancient Fusak script:
"The Travels of Groselle"
Ferran's eyes immediately lit up. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Edwina's cool voice:
"This book and the key we obtained can be sold to the powerful figure you know, and I can even sell them to him very cheaply."
Before Ferran could rejoice, he heard his captain's addition:
"However, I have a condition."
"What condition?" Ferran subconsciously asked back.
Edwina pursed her lips and said:
"I want to meet that person. Well, if it's not convenient, you can teach him this secret ritual magic."
Edwina raised her right hand, and a stand and a blackboard appeared in the captain's cabin:
"It's called the 'Spirit-Summoning Ritual'. It allows the caster's spirit to pass through the Spirit World and attach itself to your body, allowing direct conversation with me. Below the demigod level, the effective range does not exceed 500 nautical miles..."
"It involves rationality and communication, belonging to the domain of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom. You must depict the corresponding symbols and magical markings..."
As Edwina explained, she wrote down the key points to remember on the blackboard. Ferran instinctively sat down, adopting the posture of someone diligently attending a lecture.
"This way, I can talk to him through your dreams, and this is safe for both of us. There's no need to take risks."
Edwina added finally after confirming that Ferran had memorized all the knowledge on the blackboard.
Ferran nodded his heavy head, recalling the knowledge he had just learned, feeling bitter inside.
Walking out of the captain's cabin with heavy steps, Ferran came to the deck, which had been polished to an unusual brightness, even reflecting light like gold coins in the sun.
And Danitz was standing under the main cannon barrel, arms crossed, leisurely supervising the sailors, occasionally shouting loudly:
"Wipe that spot again!"
"Shit, do you want to transcribe the ancient Fusak dictionary?"
-----------------
Aaron, who had returned to the villa, heard layers of illusory prayer. He instructed the servants to continue packing his luggage, preparing to leave Bayam that evening, and walked into the bedroom himself.
Aaron leaned back against the throne, tapping the armrest with his finger, looking at the image transmitted within the prayer light spot and that unique magic ritual.
"The Iceberg Admiral wants to meet me. The 'Spirit-Summoning Ritual' sounds a bit like a 'Parasite'. Could it be a ritual made based on that template?"
After thinking for a moment, Aaron condensed a ball of light containing his Beyonder image and arranged to hold the "Spirit-Summoning Ritual" at 9 PM tonight.
Confirming it was correct, he casually threw the ball of light into the prayer light spot.
For others, mastering and digesting that complex ritual created by a Sequence 5 "Mystical Master" would take a considerable amount of time.
But for Aaron, who possessed the Origin, he didn't need to spend time mastering complex ritual knowledge and procedures.
He only needed to replicate it completely on an object based on the knowledge and ritual procedures transmitted within the prayer light spot, utilizing the special nature of this space, to form a stable and clearly targeted Charm.
After thinking for a moment, Aaron conjured an iron box from the pile of miscellaneous items. Inside were the Worms of Time previously looted from Flora Jacob's house.
Using dream divination, he restored all the knowledge and ritual procedures transmitted within the prayer light spot just now. As the dark golden mist continuously poured in, the Worm of Time gradually transformed into a crystal-clear Charm.
Aaron confirmed through divination that a Charm made with the Worm of Time as a medium, coupled with Ferran's connection to this space and the Origin's ability to respond globally,
could allow the so-called "Spirit-Summoning Ritual" to be performed even in Bayam, without considering the cost.
Thinking of the "Travels of Groselle" he was about to obtain, Aaron's heart couldn't help but feel a little 뜨겁다. He carefully put away the Charm and returned to the real world.
The crimson moonlight shone on the port area of Bayam. After two days of cleanup and encirclement, it returned to its usual busyness.
However, unlike before, there were many more discussions here, and many people were curiously watching a giant ship slowly leaving the port.
"Lord Aaron, who killed the Admiral of Blood, seems to be on that ship."
"That's a pirate general! It seems the situation at sea is going to change again..."
There were merchants, bounty hunters, and pirates mixed among them. They were not interested in the political struggles far away in Backlund, but the achievement of successfully hunting the Admiral of Blood made them remember this name.
As the center of discussion, Aaron had dismissed everyone else early and sat alone in the cabin bedroom, holding the Charm and watching the clock on the wall.
Suddenly, he clenched his hand, crushing the Charm. A strong dark golden light flashed in his eyes. Following the pull of some force, after an unknown amount of time, a sense of weightlessness suddenly came over him.
Opening his eyes sharply, Aaron saw rows of bookshelves and a beautiful woman with a scholarly demeanor standing opposite him.
Twisting his body, feeling a bit unaccustomed, "Ferran's" lips curled up slightly:
"Good evening, Iceberg Admiral..."
#172Chapter 171 Transactions and Recipes
Without a hat, Edwina Edwards wore a beige coat cinched at the waist, with large, palm-sized flower-shaped decorations woven from white lace spreading down the collar.
She sat behind her desk, her pale blue eyes examining the "Ferrin" before her. Through her spiritual vision, she could vaguely perceive a dark golden light enveloping his entire body.
Running her hand over the copy of "Groselle's Travels" placed on the desk, Edwina nodded in response, her tone extremely flat:
"Good afternoon."
Maintaining his persona, Aaron remained silent, waiting for the other party to state the purpose of wanting to see him.
...
He looked at Edwina.
...
Edwina looked at him.
...
Several minutes of silence suddenly fell in the scholarly captain's cabin, as if both sides were waiting for the other to speak.
"Is this why her nickname is 'Iceberg Admiral'?" A thought flashed through Aaron's mind.
Although somewhat speechless, he was unsure how long his charm could last. If the standoff continued, his persona as a mysterious expert might crumble.
"Ferrin" coughed twice and said to "Iceberg Admiral" Edwina Edwards:
"You previously said you wanted to meet me before trading. Now that I'm here, I wonder if we can proceed with the transaction."
Edwina nodded slightly, looking at "Ferrin" and saying:
"I also recently acquired this copy of 'Groselle's Travels' and haven't mentioned it to any other crew members. I'm very curious how you knew it was in my possession?"
"Ferrin" feigned contemplation for a few seconds before responding seriously:
"That's a secret."
The air was still for a few seconds. Edwina was silent for a moment, not dwelling on the question:
"If you want them, I can sell you both items. I've been researching them for some time and still haven't made any progress.
"However, I have one condition."
"What condition?" "Ferrin" asked in return, though he already had a guess in his heart.
Edwina pursed her lips and said:
"If you research anything, please be sure to tell me the results so I am no longer confused."
"As long as you agree to this condition, I can sell them to you very cheaply."
A smile appeared on "Ferrin's" face, and he readily agreed to the not-so-demanding request.
Edwina nodded, and a black iron key suddenly appeared in her hand. It was as large as a seven-stringed zither, ancient in design, and dull in luster.
Holding this shipwreck relic semi-cradled, the pirate general pointed to "Groselle's Travels" on the table and reminded:
"The previous owner of this book is difficult to verify due to the fog of history and the lack of corresponding information, and similarly, the author cannot be confirmed. Uh, it has no signature on it."
"I used some secret arts to research it and found that the parchment was made at least three thousand years ago, before the Cataclysm."
"Hmm, this is what I've researched so far. I hope it's helpful to you."
"Ferrin" nodded and requested some spiritual materials from the captain. Without any hesitation, he directly set up a ritual on the desk.
A moment later, he spoke in ancient Hermes:
"I!"
"I summon in my name;"
"The spirit wandering in falsehood, the upper world creature driven by others, the messenger exclusively belonging to Lucived Joseph."
Whoosh!
The wind stirred with a humming sound, and the golden candlelight instantly took on a deep blue hue.
Under its illumination, transparent ripples spread out from the center of the three candles.
"Lucived Joseph?"
Edwina withdrew her gaze from the ritual with interest, looking at "Ferrin" on the side, her eyes slightly moving.
Suddenly, she turned back sharply, her expression instantly becoming solemn. A puppet with only eyes on its face walked out from there, accompanied by an aura that made everyone present tremble.
That was the aura of a demigod. A demigod serving as a messenger? Edwina couldn't help but turn her head to glance at the smiling and silent "Ferrin".
The day after "Orange Light" Hilarion visited him, Aaron was already able to contact Astolfo and confirmed that it had recovered to the demigod level.
The single black and white eye on Astolfo's face turned slightly, becoming pure white. Ripples spread out, and two piles of gold coins emerged from it, neatly placed on the floor of the captain's cabin, like two mountains of gold.
"Ferrin" suppressed the urge to look at the gold mountains on the ground. That was the price Edwina had offered after the discount, a total of 17,000 pounds for the two items.
If Aaron hadn't just received the bounty for the Blazing Admiral a few days ago, plus the gold pounds exchanged from selling Beyonder characteristics and various charms before, he wouldn't have been able to produce so much cash at once.
Without paying much attention to the gold mountains on the ground, Edwina looked at the uniquely shaped messenger, who resembled a spirit world creature more closely. She nodded in acknowledgment and handed over the black iron key and "Groselle's Travels".
The enormous, distinct black and white eye suddenly turned pure black, like an abyss, directly swallowing the two items. Ripples spread out, and it slowly disappeared into the spirit world.
It wasn't until the messenger left that Edwina withdrew her gaze, looking at "Ferrin" very seriously, the corners of her mouth slightly curved, seemingly in a good mood:
"I suppose I can call you Mr. Lucived, right?"
Seeing "Ferrin" nod slightly, she pointed to the ritual that hadn't been removed yet and said with interest:
"I once tried to find a messenger, but I could only grope for the incantations myself. It was not only dangerous but also difficult to get a satisfactory one, so I eventually had to give up.
"This was one reason; another was that simulated death force couldn't be used to sign contracts.
"And your incantations have given me a lot of inspiration. I think I now have a clear direction. This is a very good research direction."
Although Aaron was a little curious why Edwina, who was backed by the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, wouldn't know the ritual for signing a messenger, he didn't ask further.
Glancing at the door of the captain's cabin, the corners of his mouth slightly curved, "Ferrin" nodded slightly:
"A very smooth transaction. Thank you for your generosity. If I research anything, I will have Ferrin convey it to you."
"Your crew must be all here by now. I won't bother you further. Farewell."
As the words fell, accompanied by an invisible fluctuation, Ferrin's body trembled as if waking from a deep dream, almost falling. Looking at the two piles of gold mountains on the ground, he instantly fell into a daze, even forgetting to pick up the chair that had fallen over.
Despite the captain's warning, the commotion from inside caused the anxious crew members outside the door to decide to break in.
Looking at the unharmed captain and the gold mountains piled on the ground, the words everyone wanted to say were instantly stuck in their throats.
The third mate, "Colored Tie" Jodson, wearing a white shirt, black vest, and a patterned tie, quickly recovered. He glanced at the broken door and hurriedly explained:
"Captain, we've reached the mysterious island you marked before. Do you need me to go down and scout first?"
Edwina withdrew her gaze and spoke calmly, showing no emotion: