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Monster

There doesn't seem to be much information about the peak of the Hornacis mountain range… At least I can confirm that the Half-Fool has some minimal connection with the Mother of the Sky, but I don't have enough information about the others… — Klein thought uncertainly.

— Hornacis is not a place where just anyone should go. In that palace lies a lunatic sunk in meaningless dreams. — The World spoke in a calm tone.

Alger seemed to be thinking deeply.

How does The World know so much? Did he go to the peak of the Hornacis mountain range to check? Neither the Church of Midnight nor the others dared to try to climb Hornacis and The World just went there as if it were something normal?

Is he a Demigod? Doesn't he look too young? He must be at least twenty years old, but he has a lot of information about Hornacis and even has knowledge about the City of Silver and ancient organizations…

At this moment, The Hanged Man had a bold idea.

It could be that The World is a powerful member of a secret organization! He might even be part of the Order of Mysteries from the information he has! In fact... He might even be something like a Saint or higher... Terrifying... I'm glad I didn't rush to any conclusions about him...

After that, they talked for a while longer. They shared information until the palace of gray mist was covered in silence.

With dozens of thoughts, Medici had an expression

— Young Sun, I'm going to ask you a question and you can ask for other information or more in return if you want to answer. In your City of Silver, do you live like you do now? Your... Creator doesn't answer any of your prayers? — Medici's gaze seemed nostalgic, but he was still hiding part of his interest.

Creator... Creator? — Alger and Solveig sat up straight in their bronze seats, listening intently to the conversation.

— Are you referring to the Creator who created everything in the Age of Chaos, falling into a deep sleep? — Audrey asked with curiosity on her face. She snapped out of her spectator state at the same time.

Derrick's eyes lit up in recognition. He didn't hesitate to begin explaining:

— In the City of Silver, we believed in the Creator. The Omniscient and Omnipotent Lord illuminated everything with His Glory. But 2678 years ago, at the beginning of the Dark Ages, He abandoned us. He stopped answering all prayers.

— Some have tried to pray to hidden beings and recite the honorable names that were in ruins, but there is no answer.

— A land abandoned by the gods? — Alger tried to suppress the disbelief in his voice.

When he was promoted to his current sequence, he ended up reading some secret files from the Church of Storms and ended up coming across a specific one that talked about a place at the end of the sea Sonia:

Forsaken Land of the Gods!

Solveig followed a similar line of thought. She narrowed her eyes almost in disbelief.

The Sun explained about the early years of the City of Silver, told about the Moon City that worshiped an existence of the gray mist. He also talked about the present day, the expeditions and the curse.

The Medici leaned back from his seat, looking somewhat thoughtful. Audrey seemed curious as she listened to the whole story, recording every detail in her mind without missing a single word.

Paying full attention, Solveig didn't even blink. Her mind had dozens of thoughts at every moment.

Alger hid part of his interest, but his indirect betrayal and The Klein World didn't react much in surprise, just listening calmly.

In the end, Alger and Solveig came to the same conclusion.

Even the Seven Orthodox Gods were unknown in the City of Silver, and no hidden existence could hear the prayers of the inhabitants, but The Fool could hear the prayers of the City of Silver.

Furthermore, He was worshipped as a deity! There was even an honorific name that the inhabitants of the Moon City prayed to.

This was indisputable proof of the Fool's existence.

So The Fool really was something close to a debt of… No wonder he could hear the City of Solver, He was worshipped in the place where the Sun lives, probably in the Third Epoch, the Epoch of Calamity… The Fool lived more than two Epochs ago! No, He probably lived even longer… He even knows about the Second Epoch… The Hanged Man was too reckless, a single breath and He could kill him! — Medici was numb, then continued to think deeply.

The Force narrowed its eyes indiscernibly.

That makes sense… I was right… Could it be that Mr. Fool participated in the history of the Third Epoch? If He was in the Land Abandoned by the Gods, he might have even fought in the Cataclysm… — she gradually began to have several guesses.

It's a good thing I didn't overstep my bounds with Him… It's really possible that He's a one god… — The Hanged Man shivered from the bottom of his heart.

Mr. Fool was once worshipped in a region of the Forsaken Land of the Gods... I wonder if He was also present in the Second Epoch... — Audrey was both excited and apprehensive, and completely shocked.

— I read some... Documents about a place that is at the eastern end of the Sonia Sea that not even the Churches have reached. It only mentioned its name and no other information. Forsaken Land of the Gods . — The Hanged Man continued unhurriedly. — There is a Listener of the Aurora Order trying to reach the Creator's sacred residence, he is trying to reach the end of the Sonia Sea.

— That place is very difficult to reach. — Solveig remembered what she had heard when she was looking at some documents.

— Mr. Chariot, could you explain about how the Beyonders of the place where you live are? Uh... I was just curious to know what the organizations you mentioned before were. Also, what do they feed on? Is there black-faced grass in this Northern Continent and the Southern Continent? — The Sun was still wondering if it was really possible for there to be another kind of food.

He had once read about a different type of meat and plant in some textbooks. He couldn't imagine what it could be like. Could it possibly taste the same as monster meat?

The young Sun really lives in a horror book... They don't even feed the boy properly... I wonder if they'll get anything better when they reach the Giant King's Court... — Medici was a little surprised before he started talking:

— There are things like beef, chicken and even chocolate... You must know what a beef or a chicken is from the textbooks. There are also many different delicacies in the sea...

He continued explaining in detail, when it came time to explain about the Orthodox Churches and the secret organizations, he gave some secret information.

After some time, The Sun ended up getting the formula for Sequence 9, Bardo with The World in exchange for future help. Justice traded some information about the Psychology Alchemists with The Force, The Chariot and The Hanged Man for a few hundred pounds and The Hanged Man exchanged information about the Aurora Order with The Chariot.

In the end, The Fool asked them to do a simple task. He told them to recite an incantation:

— The Fool that doesn't belong to this Era.

— You are The Mysterious Ruler above the Gray Gog.

— You are The King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck.

...

Anna ran all the way home. She leaned against the door, panting, and threw it open with all her strength, making a loud bang.

The first thing she saw was a young blond man who looked haggard.

— Anna, I didn't think I'd meet you today. — Joyce said with a smile. Her eyes seemed a little teary, shining with happiness and relief.

— Holy Storm! You really are fine! — Anna's eyes were wet with joy.

They hugged, gradually calming each other down before Joyce's father asked what had happened.

Joyce immediately remembered the bodies strewn across the rotting ship, the air filled with a fresh smell of blood.

— Five days after we left the Pier Caesar, we came across some terrifying pirates. Fortunately, their captain's name was Nast.

Joyce's father gave a grave, almost terrified look.

— Nast? The one who proclaimed himself the King of the Five Seas?

— Because of his claim to be a descendant of the Solomon Empire, he doesn't kill captives. We were lucky that he was the one who plundered us. They even offered us enough water and food. — Joyce began to tremble with the horror etched into her memories.

— After that... There was a riot in Alfalfa... Captain Tris helped those who had their wits about them and led us into a fight against those who were thirsty for blood...

...

As he and Neil passed by a street, Klein couldn't help but notice a roar of shouting inside the Brave Bar, as if they were cheering for someone.

Even with the heavy gates, the sound of things being broken and dragged could still be heard.

For some reason, Klein turned his head.

Hidden above a warehouse roof was a man holding a metal box and a huge steam rifle.

— Steam rifle? — Klein looked at Old Neil in confusion.

— Can this bar really have that kind of weapon?

He looked a little further into the bar, where more men armed with firearms appeared.

— Did something happen? — Old Neil asked the tall, sturdy man behind the counter.

— It seems that a man was recognized when he tried to buy something, and these men ended up appearing here one after another. Well, I think his name was Tris. Lord of Storms, what did this guy do to get treated like this?!

The man pointed with his chin to the roof.

— He ran away that way. I've never seen anyone run as fast as him!

Fast... He was probably a Beyonder... Fortunately, he didn't see that Beyonder's powers, otherwise he would be taken to some indescribable place. — Klein thought in his heart before looking to the side of the wall.

There was a young man with disheveled black hair. His eyes half covered by his hair had a crazy glow, as if nothing made sense to the boy.

The young man raised his head tremblingly, looking at Klein.

— Ah!

A tragic scream rang out loudly, the boy fell as if he were a puppet that had lost its strings. His loud screams echoed through the place in horror, his body trembling as if he could lose consciousness at any moment.

Blood began to flow non-stop like a waterfall from his nose and both of his eyes were cloudy and wide. A grotesque and viscous liquid in a red hue came out of his ears and mouth.

The young man covered his eyes and hugged his head with unimaginable horror corroding his mind and body as he screamed full of terror.

Bloody tears rolled down his face full of insanity. He struggled on the ground, thrashing and shaking madly and only calmed down after a while. He then lay there panting.

He began to writhe uncontrollably, collapsing more and more amidst his screams.

— Smell of death... You... You... Death...

— I'm going to die... I won't peek... I won't look directly... Sorry... Ah! — The young man leaned his forehead against the ground, barely supporting himself with his limp arms that were shaking madly, as if he was honestly asking for forgiveness for all his sins.

— I won't peek... Ah!

The owner of the Evil Dragon Bar, Swain, suddenly pulled the trembling young man by the arm, lifting him up, even so he still squeezed his bloodshot eyes as hard as he could so as not to open them at all and refused to even move a single finger.

His head remained lowered, and the young man didn't dare to lift himself even an inch.

Hey, I'm not a demon... — Klein avoided frowning, just looking at Old Neil with a questioning look.

— Sorry Neil, he doesn't usually have such violent outbursts... — Swain led the young man to the back of the bar.

Before Klein could ask, Neil explained after noticing his confused expression:

— He's a half-Beyonder. Swain adopted him a few years ago when he found him alone on the streets, almost dead. He has a special Pathway, but as a half-Beyonder, he can't control his inspiration.

— Why didn't the Nighthawks or the Mandatory Punishers take him? — Knowing the strict rules, it was likely that one of the officials would take the young man to join the Church.

— The Church doesn't have its own Pathway. In fact, the one in control of the Monster Pathway is the Life School of Thought. — Old Neil sighed.

The Monster Pathway? — Klein remembered that he had the formulas for Sequence 3 of this pathway!

Did that strange man he saw at the divinations have anything to do with the Life School of Thought?

Notes: