join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for dozens of advance chapters for over a dozen fics | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter
"I do know some things," Leyton said calmly. Seeing that everyone's attention was drawn to him, he leaned forward slightly, his tone unusually serious. "The Loen Royal Family, the Aurora Order, and the Demoness Sect have formed an alliance. They each have their own plans, but what those plans are, is currently unknown."
"The Royal Family? Cooperating with the Aurora Order and the Demoness Sect… Why?" Audrey whispered in disbelief. Both the Aurora Order and the Demoness Sect were recognized cults. She couldn't understand why the Royal Family would cooperate with them.
"For three unrelated parties to form an alliance, it means their respective plans share a common interest or need," Hanged Man Alger analyzed with great experience.
The Hanged Man's words reminded Klein, and his figure, shrouded in Gray Fog, also fell into contemplation:
The Aurora Order is seeking to summon the True Creator. What about the Demoness Sect? To spread disaster and facilitate acting? Perhaps there's an element of that, but it certainly isn't the main reason. And what is the Royal Family plotting? What benefit does throwing Backlund into chaos bring them?
Wait, Prince Edessak and his rumored Demoness lover, that Demoness really wanted to see me but was thwarted by various coincidences created by 0-08, and Prince Edessak's lingering resentment over Talim's death…
This is very interesting. This Prince and the Demoness beside him are more like pawns placed together by both sides to gain trust.
Adhering to the principle of saying less rather than saying something wrong, Klein manipulated the World, beginning his self-directed performance:
The World raised his head, looking sincerely at the figure within the Gray Fog at the head of the mottled long table: "Esteemed The Fool, your Beyonder in Backlund should have also noticed something, right?"
Then, under the curious, worried, expectant, or tense gazes of the others, he spoke calmly and casually: "Edessak Augustus, and his lover."
Hmm… Prince Edessak has a lover? No wonder he hasn't bothered me for a long time. Could she be a Demoness from the Demoness Sect? I was celebrating before, but now it seems there's a problem.
Audrey, who was quite familiar with Prince Edessak, recalled some detailed matters. She suddenly felt her shoulders grow heavy.
Although she had no fondness for the Prince, and even felt some aversion, these were just her personal feelings.
Thinking that he was involved with the Demoness Sect and the Aurora Order, and could even bring disaster to all of Backlund, Audrey still felt a mix of emotions.
Augustus, that's the Royal Family's surname. His lover, the Demoness Sect… Could it be a tumultuous love story between a Prince and a Demoness, obstructed by both factions, and to pursue their love, they decided to join the Aurora Order, ultimately leading to a widespread disaster?
Magician Fors, as an Author, began to exercise her instincts, already constructing a tragic and heroic love story for Prince Edessak and his lover in her mind.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we'll see each other next week."
The The Fool, seated at the very top, calmly announced the end of today's Tarot Club. Streaks of Red Light rose, and the figures of everyone disappeared one after another above the Gray Fog.
In the Forsaken Land of the Gods, within a campsite where a bonfire burned.
Derrick closed his eyes, calmly recalling the events of the Tarot Club, confirming that he hadn't forgotten the memories of that repeatedly cycling experience.
Taking a deep breath and calming himself, Derrick slowly opened his eyes, carefully examining the flames and his teammates, which were exactly as he remembered them.
"We depart after 50 lightning strikes," Chief Colin said in a deep voice, just as Derrick remembered.
The development of events was exactly the same as Derrick's previous several memories.
Backlund, Cherwood Borough, Minsk Street.
Leyton, who had just finished this week's Tarot Club, slowly awoke from his seat. He turned his head to glance at the gloomy sky outside the window, perpetually shrouded in smog, and murmured, "The disaster is about to begin…"
A grey pigeon opportunely fluttered its wings and landed on the windowsill outside. The flesh on its body wriggled, tearing open a slit in its chest, filled with tiny, sharp teeth. It constantly opened and closed, emitting a hoarse voice from the friction of its flesh:
"Envoy of God, we will begin the ritual to summon our Lord tomorrow afternoon."
As the voice faded, the already disfigured grey pigeon instantly burst apart, blood and flesh splattering to form a map on the surrounding area.
"You guys would be doing a disservice to your ability to control flesh and blood if you weren't a cult," Leyton muttered inwardly.
He then memorized the map, rubbed his fingers together to create a golden flame, and Purified all the flesh and blood residue around the windowsill.
He then returned to his desk, tore a blank page from his notebook, picked up the round-bellied steel pen beside it, and simply wrote a line of words: "The ritual is tomorrow…"
Then he searched his room for ritual materials and quickly set up a ritual to summon a messenger:
"Invisible beings roaming the upper realms, strange spirits friendly to humans, the exclusive messenger of Bernadette Gustav."
As the incantation was completed, Leyton, observing with full concentration, vaguely sensed something enter his room, but his naked eye could not capture its figure.
Leyton shifted his gaze to where the letter was placed; the paper torn from the notebook was gone.
"So fast…" He sighed softly, then ended the messenger summoning ritual.
After tidying up the remaining ritual materials, Leyton sat back in the armchair at his desk. There were still many details to discuss with Sasrir to resolve the True Creator's descending avatar.
In the Forsaken Land of the Gods, Derrick's exploration team once again arrived at the half-ruined temple.
This time, the moment the little boy's plea for help sounded, Derrick used his Beyonder ability, emitting a pure, clear light that replaced the extinguished beast-skin lantern's glow.
Chief Colin swiftly took out a deep blue metal vial and smeared the colorless, viscous liquid inside onto his straight sword.
Then, he thrust his straight sword upwards, and strands of silvery, snake-like light moved through the air, rapidly spreading outwards, enveloping every member of the team.
After a full four or five seconds, Chief Colin said in a deep voice: "From now on, there can be no oversight. Raise your vigilance to the highest level."
"Such familiar words…" Derrick calmed himself and cautiously followed the team into the temple.
Inside the temple, Derrick pretended to carefully inspect the surroundings while leaning against the murals, then suggested he go check that area.
Holding the beast-skin lantern, Derrick quickly found the corner with the strange words based on his memory.
"Rose Redemption," he murmured the name, carefully examining the details of the mural.
His gaze quickly locked onto a tall, slender man with long silver hair reaching his vest.
His features were gentle, his head bowed, his eyes closed, and behind him were layers of luminous wings.
An Angel! The legendary Angel! Is this the Angel of Fate?… Derrick excitedly observed the surroundings of this Angel.
Soon, he discovered a winding, shimmering river at the Angel's feet.
This river constantly turned, eventually looping back strangely to form a circle.
A loop! This forms a loop! Derrick felt he had grasped a key point.
He tightened his grip on the hurricane axe in his hand. After a slight hesitation, he raised the axe and, to the stunned gazes of his teammates, fiercely struck the river.
Anyway, even if it failed, it would only enter a new loop, without any consequences or effects.
A silvery-white lightning bolt was drawn, landing on the hurricane axe.
With a bang! The hurricane axe in Derrick's hand, wrapped in streaks of silvery-white electricity, struck the river on the mural, causing the wall to dent and stone chips to fly.
This strike completely broke the river that connected at both ends.
He hoped the loop would be broken, and he and the other team members would jump out of the temple scene.
"What are you doing?"
What greeted him was Chief Colin's deep inquiry. The other team members around him also watched him warily, as if they would act against him the moment he made any unusual move.
Derrick froze for a moment. This was completely different from the scene he had envisioned.
He awkwardly tried to reach for the back of his head but stopped himself, then explained with some embarrassment and helplessness: "Uh… I was trying to break the loop, but it seems I found the wrong node."
"Loop?" Colin pressed in a deep voice. The straight sword in his hand still hung downwards, but it was clearly gripped more tightly.
"Yes, a loop. This is our sixth time entering this temple."
"I received some hints and then recalled my previous memories, realizing the problem might be with the murals. So when I saw that looping river on the mural, I thought that was the node that trapped us in the loop…"
Derrick quickly and concisely explained. Although the other members of the exploration team didn't understand what was going on, the Chief would surely comprehend.
Colin's expression grew serious, his brows tightly furrowed, as if recalling whether his own memories truly had a problem. Then he asked in a deep voice: "When did you receive the hint?"
"When we were resting at the camp outside the city."
join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for dozens of advance chapters for over a dozen fics | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter