I wonder how Adrian plans to hunt Qilangos… Rallying others—Aurora Order members, maybe? It makes sense; they'd want their pathway's item. Klein, seeing the private exchange conclude, withdrew the gray fog as before. Audrey and Derrick waited quietly until the two finished.
After the private talk, the attendees conversed further, and the Tarot Gathering neared its end. Klein severed his spirituality, concluding the session.
Klein opened his eyes, donning formal attire to head out as usual. Before the Tarot Gathering, he'd arranged to meet Adrian afterward to swap intelligence from their unique perspectives. The meeting was set at Adrian's home, and Klein wanted to discuss Adrian's gains from the gathering.
The High-Dimensional Overseer was quite pleased with Klein's performance.
Though His memories confirmed Klein as brave, kind, and resolute, people change. The High-Dimensional Overseer wasn't sure if Klein, after this world's trials, could maintain his current mindset and conscience.
In this world, the purely good don't survive long. Reality isn't a fairy tale—how could a human's mere decades of memory withstand the Celestial Worthy's ancient malice? To ensure Klein's will overshadows the Celestial Worthy's, he must endure more hardships while keeping a steadfast, kind heart.
Only then might Klein's will dominate the future Lord of the Mysteries' consciousness.
The High-Dimensional Overseer Himself was the best example. When He awoke in His Sefirot, He still held human fear and reverence for the alien world. But after eons in His Sefirot, He'd become vastly different from the "human" Adrian, with barely any humanity left in His soul.
The True Creator and Evernight Goddess's envisioned outcome somewhat disrespected the Celestial Worthy. With His own Olden Days precedent, the High-Dimensional Overseer knew the terrifying power of a Sefirot's will. Once, after teasing the Supernova Dominator and getting killed, He'd revived using a contingency in His Sefirot.
Thus, He wouldn't rashly bet heavily on Klein. If Klein showed any sign of being consumed by the Celestial Worthy, the High-Dimensional Overseer would erase Klein's existence without hesitation.
As an Outer God who knew Klein inside out, the High-Dimensional Overseer could erase Klein's traces using just His Earth-bound pollution, even warring with the Mother Goddess of Depravity in the cosmos. He might not defeat Her, but He could kill Mr. Door, claim the Door pathway, and eliminate the Celestial Worthy's chance of full revival.
Of course, if it came to that, Earth would likely be doomed. The Evernight Goddess held a strong card—half of The Fool—and could awaken the Celestial Worthy to deter the High-Dimensional Overseer into cooperation. Before the Sefirot's incarnation, even He would retreat. Plus, Adrian genuinely admired Klein, so He was willing to grant him small gifts.
After all, excessive convergence would trigger the Primordial's awakening, and as an "outsider," the High-Dimensional Overseer didn't know if He'd return to the Primordial or his pre-transmigration world upon awakening.
Moreover, a lingering question haunted the young Outer God, ever since He glimpsed half the world's truth through His Outer God perspective: Who am I? Do I truly belong to this world?
Adrian opened his eyes on the sofa, hearing the doorbell. Smiling, he strolled to the door and opened it for his guest. "Klein, I thought you did well at the Tarot Gathering."
It was Klein. Hearing Adrian, he smiled and said, "Old Gao, what'd you gain from the Tarot Gathering?"
"Pretty good. Your chosen members aren't strong, but I can see their potential as exceptional Beyonders," Adrian nodded. "Speaking of, I made a couple dishes. Shall we eat and talk?"
"Sounds great," Klein's eyes lit up. With the afternoon free to discuss gains, he set aside the "Red Chimney" task and followed Adrian into the living room.
Adrian had rearranged the living room in a style familiar to him, which to Klein seemed effortlessly chic. His fellow transmigrator never seemed short on funds, even in Tingen, despite minimal socializing. Living in such a large house, he hired no permanent servants, only short-term workers for occasional cleaning.
When Klein curiously asked why no servants, Adrian smiled, saying he wasn't used to being served. He also reminded Klein: as transmigrators and Beyonders, they had secrets to keep from ordinary people. For instance, he never let workers touch his study.
These habits made Klein envious, reinforcing his own secrecy over occult items to protect his siblings. But Adrian's next setup was a surprise.
As a transmigrator in a Loen noble's body, Adrian cared little for "Loen propriety," styling his living room in a Chinese aesthetic reminiscent of Klein's memories. He placed the dining table near the kitchen and had a custom iron wok made to recreate Chinese cuisine. To capture the night-market vibe, he even set up a barbecue grill for "street snacks" on the kitchen's other side.
Since then, Adrian often invited Klein over for meals, and Klein happily obliged, visiting once or twice weekly.
Adrian smiled, bringing out a steaming plate of minced meat eggplant and a clay-pot pea-steamed meat patty from the kitchen—simple home-cooked dishes, but to Klein, they held the comfort of "home."
"Alger likely shares some secret with Qilangos, but Qilangos's strength now outstrips his. With the power imbalance, Alger's eager to eliminate the threat," Adrian said, spearing a piece of meat patty and savoring it.
"How do you plan to deal with Qilangos, Old Gao? Taking on this task… By the way, what pathway are you?" Klein swallowed his bite of eggplant, asking. Adrian chuckled, dodging the pathway question. "You can guess who I'll use."
"You're really sending the Aurora Order? Can you actually mobilize them for yourself?" Klein asked, skeptical. "Or is a favored one's status that high?"
"You've misunderstood favored ones because of what I said, Klein," Adrian laughed. "To us, being a god's favored isn't too prestigious, but in this era, 'favored ones' are practically gods' 'earthly avatars.' Those who become favored in orthodox churches are usually Sequence 2 angels—pontiffs or divine attendants. Wouldn't they be revered?"
Klein nodded, thoughtful. Adrian continued, "It's even more so in the Aurora Order. They're fanatical True Creator devotees. Whether they like you or not, they'll help almost unconditionally. I proved my favored status's power before the Dark Saint. Issuing orders now is simple. Against an ordinary Sequence 6, even with a Shepherd glove—hah, can he outmatch two real Shepherds?"
"I see…" Klein pondered. Maybe I could sell hard-to-move Beyonder items through the Aurora Order for pounds?
"Don't even think it," Adrian, reading Klein's mind, shot him a look. "The Aurora Order's dirt-poor. They've got no steady income and struggle to sustain themselves."
Adrian sighed. Klein, why do you think the future Mr. A took your ambassador-killing job for 10,000 pounds? Poverty…
Pausing, Adrian turned serious. "Have you noticed any coincidences lately?"
Coincidences? Klein froze, recalling Azik's warning about "coincidences." His face paled, and he urgently asked, "What's wrong?"
"Looks like you've encountered them…" Adrian murmured, then said, "Before the True Creator awoke, the Aurora Order held a divine descent ritual in Tingen. After their self-destruction, the awakened True Creator ordered a halt to Loen's descent rituals."
"And?" Klein asked, confused.
"Heh…" Adrian gave a cold laugh. "I tipped off the Storm Cathedral, dealing with Lanevus—you know, the incident your captain handled. Cornered, Lanevus triggered the True Creator's pollution early. Luckily, your team was cautious, avoiding disaster…"
"But don't you find it odd? Why did I spot Lanevus exactly then? Why did the True Creator's divinity erupt at that moment, drawing every church member in Tingen?"
That's why Captain Dunn got polluted?Klein's jaw dropped as Adrian continued, "We planned to neutralize another descent vessel's threat, but she vanished secretly… Someone's pulling strings in Tingen. These coincidences are too perfect. The mastermind likely 'orchestrates' them. Be careful, Klein—you might be targeted."
"This…"
Klein's expression grew grave. A dark, shadowy presence seemed to cling to him, chilling his heart. Swallowing hard, he felt a heavy weight settle in.
"We've also got a missing descent vessel—definitely someone's handiwork. Orchestrating such coincidences requires either vast intellect and connections or related abilities. Since they cut us off from the second vessel, I suspect the latter."
"Be cautious, Klein. I'm heading back to Backlund to ask the Aurora Order for ways to find the other vessel," Adrian warned. "Strength is the ultimate truth. Only a high Sequence can protect those you care about. Don't fall to an undeserved calamity, Klein."
Klein nodded heavily.
"You're not helping him?" the True Creator asked, sitting beside the High-Dimensional Overseer. "Using a revival chance here seems unwise."
"Why should I?" the High-Dimensional Overseer retorted. "If Klein can't handle this, why think he can defeat the Celestial Worthy? I help him because he's 'Zhou Mingrui' and 'Klein,' and he inherited the Safirah Castle. Otherwise, I'd love to see what that fool Ince Zangwill chooses after getting his wish."
"That's that. I'm off to Backlund to advance your next plan," the High-Dimensional Overseer said, directing His humanoid form in the Forsaken Land of the Gods. "As a god, care to show your followers a miracle? Or toss the Aurora Order some funds?"
"…I'm counting on you, ally," the True Creator said gruffly. "You're better at making money. I'll have the Aurora Order fully back you."
"Figures," Adrian muttered, boarding the train with a wry smirk.
Scholar Pathway
Sequence 8: Ranger
The Ranger's Beyonder characteristics greatly enhance physical prowess, especially speed, surpassing other Sequence 8 Beyonders in that aspect, though other boosts are less pronounced. After consuming the Ranger potion, knowledge learned as a Scholar becomes combat techniques.
This knowledge, under the Ranger's Beyonder traits, is etched into the Beyonder's subconscious, granting initial combat prowess. Thus, the digestion level and knowledge types acquired as a Scholar (Sequence 9) determine each Ranger's combat strength.
(End of Chapter)