Beyond the Old Ones

Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.

Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.

The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.

"Speech"

Time*

Chapter 29: Moods

10 minutes later*

I gaze at the three spheres hovering before me, each emanating a distinct Sefirot: the City of Calamity, the Nation of Disorder, and the Key of Light. Surrounding each sphere is an array of Cards of Blasphemy, their enigmatic presence amplifying the otherworldly aura of the Sefirot.

At this point, my knowledge of these three Sefirot is frustratingly sparse. All I know for certain is their passive ability to enhance a Beyonder's powers within their respective domains, pushing those abilities far beyond the limits of their Sequence. Yet, the City of Calamity has already revealed its darker nature—its influence dragging me into a horrifying illusion that left my nerves raw and my sense of reality shaken.

With a weary sigh, I wave my hand to dismiss the spheres. They dissolve into the void, leaving behind only silence. Turning back to my laptop, I prepare for yet another round of Computational Divination.

Back to the topic at hand. I should establish an organization through the Boon System. Mainly to help me draw the attention of the many Fates away from me and also speed up activating the rest of the Cards of Blasphemy, which I have yet to turn on.

Plus, I won't have to keep on debating which Cards of Blasphemy to run the adventuring next and just focus on what I would obtain next from it. In addition, this would also free me of having to pick which ones are more important to raise the Acting Progress to 100% first.

The real dilemma now is determining who to approach first as potential Boon Recipients, akin to Mai. This world—a strange fusion of various fictional settings—provides no shortage of candidates. Many characters exist here, seemingly plucked from their original contexts, now existing in this world as if they were born here.

Nonetheless, not all these individuals are ideal of becoming Boon Recipients. Especially those with the mindset of thinking they are always in the right and everyone is wrong until proven otherwise, even if it means their own death.

I tap my fingertips against the table, my mind wandering. The stakes are high—choosing the right individuals could greatly stabilize my progress and ensure success, but one wrong move could plunge me into chaos, introducing unforeseen challenges that could derail everything.

The first step is clear: Computational Divination. It's one of the reliable methods I have to identify those who align with my goals and possess unwavering loyalty. I focus on finding individuals who, under no circumstance, would betray me. Beyond that, another critical requirement emerges: mental resilience. Becoming a Boon Recipient is no blessing in disguise; it's arguably more grueling than being a Beyonder.

The Boon's effects are both a gift and a curse, concentrating immense pressure on both the mind and body. It's not uncommon for Recipients to experience drastic personality shifts as the Boon's influence deepens. Those who can't bear the strain face devastating consequences—their minds fracturing or their bodies warping into grotesque forms. And the more Boons they carry, the greater the toll.

The results of my Divination appear on the screen, and I can't suppress the sharp pang of disappointment at the outcome. The number of viable candidates is pitifully low—barely scraping to nine candidates. Frustrated, I changed my approach.

Perhaps I've been too selective. Instead of focusing on compatibility, I shifted my approach to seeking individuals who I don't necessarily need to get along with and whose deaths wouldn't pose a problem. Also, it is best to limit the numbers of how much would show up.

The shift in criteria is staggering. The list went from a handful of names to six digits in mere moments, an overwhelming of options. The number would have continued to skyrocket without the limitations I'd imposed on the search.

Now, I face a new challenge: narrowing the list. It's not just about reducing numbers—it's about identifying those rare few with the strength of will to withstand the Boon's effects.

I'm thinking about it now as my thoughts stray off again. Mostly because the individuals I'm seeing are the kind of people you just either know they are not good to the core and would outright stab you in the gut for whatever reasons.

Reflecting on my circumstances, it's no surprise that Mai fits right into this twisted trajectory. She's hardly a paragon of virtue, and our meeting was the result of pure random chance. Yet, her usefulness has proven undeniable. Now it's time to expand my roster and find a second minion.

As my gaze falls on the top name on the candidate list, I nearly burst into laughter.

Perhaps my own twisted sense of irony, I find this funny.

A few taps on my laptop later, I locate the crimson star and focus on it, summoning the individual. I find myself nearly laughing my gut out.

A flash of crimson light streaks down from the sky, illuminating the room in its eerie glow before merging across from me at the table. When the light dissipates, my newest recruit stands revealed. Osaragi.

She's a striking figure, her presence exuding both quiet intensity and an almost spectral unease. Of average height, her long, straight black hair frames a pale face with uneven, fringed red eyes. Her slim frame is draped in a dark purple dress adorned with floral mesh sleeves, and a transparent veil rests over her head.

Osaragi is a character from Sakamoto Days, and based on the brief introduction given to me by the Computational Divination, she is currently still in training. This makes her a rough diamond, untapped potential brimming beneath her eerie exterior. Eventually, she'll rise to become one of the newest members of the Order, even earning recognition as Sakamoto's successor within the organization.

"Have my prayers been answered?" Osaragi tilts her head slightly, her red eyes fixed on me with an unsettling intensity. Her voice is soft, almost absentminded, as though she's speaking more to herself than to me. Then, as if recalling something from her training, she adds, "Ah… I was taught I wasn't allowed to stare at Kami-sama's face. Sorry." She dips into a shallow bow but promptly lifts her head again, locking her gaze on me once more.

The sheer deadpan of her movements and words is enough to make me sweatdrop. The awkward tension hangs in the air.

"I am Lord of Mysteries." I introduced myself.

"Ah." Osaragi mutters, her expression unchanging, but I can tell she is disappointed. "So Kami-sama didn't answer my prayers after all." Her blank, almost spectral gaze remains glued to me as if trying to piece together some deeper meaning.

"You are among the randomly chosen for an experiment of mine." I declare, purposefully ignoring what she just said. "Now, grit your teeth and hope you survive the initial part of the experiment."

I don't wait for Osaragi's response as the Card of Hanged Man appears above her. With a quick press of a key on my laptop, she drops to the ground, letting out a horrifying screech that echoes around us. The sound is agonizing.

While this is going on, another stray thought pops into my head. For one thing, now that I have four Sefirot. I should really go back to checking the previous Computational Divination I had made in the past.

Ignoring the agonized screams in the background, I bring up the City of Calamity, only to find my hand blocked from reaching through the sphere, projecting its appearance to retrieve something.

Note to self: I can't use other Sefirot within another Sefirot. I need to look into this after leaving the Sefirah Castle.

I made the Card of Hanged Man appear before me after it turned Osaragi into a Boon Recipient.

On that note, I wonder if everyone endures such a painful experience upon becoming a Boon Recipient or if it's a result of the Cards of Blasphemy's many unknown features as a negative aspect. Could it be the cards' inherent characteristics, or is there more to the process than meets the eye?

I bring up the Card of Hanged Man to my face, examining the newly unlocked abilities. Just like with Mai, there's already a 1% increase in the Acting Progress.

Unlocking Beyonder's Abilities of the Hanged Man Pathway's Sequence 9: Secrets Suppliant.

1. Mystical Knowledge: Secrets Suppliants are bestowed with a decent amount of knowledge regarding sacrifices and some knowledge on Ritualistic Magic.

Additional Note: There are some honorific names included in the potion's knowledge, but they're all secret entities with sinister names that includes elements like "depravity", "true kin", or the "gaze of fate".

2. High Spirituality: Secrets Suppliants have a high spiritual sense which they can use it to detect some mysterious and horrible existences.

First Additional Note: Ritualistic Magic and Divination Arts: They can use their strong Spirituality to perform Divination and Ritualistic Magic, but it's not as accurate as pathways that specialize in this field.

Second Additional Note: Their High Spirituality also allows them to detect auras of relatively powerful Beyonders (provided that those Beyonders did not conceal their aura beforehand).

Whoops. I honestly forgot about the Mystical Knowledge part. No wonder Osaragi was screaming her lungs out. She had otherworldly knowledge forcibly shoved into her head throughout the process of becoming a Boon Recipient.

Another thing I have forgotten is potions.

I don't recall ever taking any potion myself, nor did I give any potion to Mai or Osaragi. So, am I a Beyonder or a Boon Recipient?

Boy, this is a mess.

Actually, this whole life of mine, from waking up with memories from my previous life to now, is a huge mess.

I press a few keys on my laptop and directly download the Acting Method and the abilities she gained from Sequence 9: Secrets Suppliant, along with the negative effects of losing control over herself.

Osaragi returns to screaming, though a more pressing realization quickly overshadows it.

I should feel bad for doing this, but quite frankly, I don't. Sad as it sounds, I wonder if this is due to my natural personality or due to the Cards of Blasphemy. Hell, it could be the Sefirot influencing me too, without my conscious awareness.

"Now that's over with. Do you have any questions, Osaragi?" I ask, watching her slowly get back on her feet.

"Do I have permission to tell anyone about you, Lord of Mysteries, and what I can do?" Osaragi asks cautiously, consciously avoiding looking in my direction.

"No. At least, not for the time being." I reply. "As for the new abilities I've given you—if you wish to be dissected by others to see how your body works, then by all means, go ahead. Otherwise, it's best you avoid explaining how you gained these powers. Just come up with something plausible that will keep others from questioning you when you use your abilities as a Sequence 9: Secrets Suppliant."

Osaragi slowly nods. "Does this make me a cult member of your faith, Lord of Mysteries?"

I sweatdrop once more.

"Believe what you will. As long as you understand this: if I ever bring you back up here or send you a vision, you will do your best to follow my instructions exactly and execute them promptly." I answer calmly. "As for how you can contact me or return here on your own, find a quiet and private place. Then, pray in your mind with these words: 'King of Space-Time, Beacon of Destiny, Embodiment of Sefirah Castle, Dominator of the Spirit World.' Remember these words as you pray, and I will hear them."

Osaragi nods again slowly, staring blankly at her feet.

"Alright, off you go. Make sure to survive." I send her back to where she was before bringing her to the Sefirah Castle.

I watch as she disappears in a crimson light.

One lingering thought settles in my mind before I leave the Sefirah Castle.

The organization I'm building up from the shadow. Are many people going to think it is a cult?