Hiding in the shadows, Klein's heart tightened. He then quickly calmed down without showing any signs of horror.
This was because he was extremely certain that the reflection on the golden disc's smooth surface wasn't him—at least, it wasn't the real him!
If it really was him, Enzo would've seen the gray fog, seeing magical scenes that resembled a Mythical Creature form. This would've caused Klein to faint immediately!
Since I'm completely fine, it means that the reflection isn't of me... Klein activated his Spirit Body Threads vision, controlled Enzo, and raised Word of the Sea. He approached the pale-white collapsed column and the ancient building which remained in shambles while secretly releasing some of his "luck."
The swarthy marionette approached the golden disc one step at a time. Bending his back and raising the cane, he carefully observed the area.
The disc had two layers-an inner and outer layer. The core region was as smooth as a mirror with very few patterns. The boundaries were engraved with birdlike creatures. Its entirety had an ancient magnificence to it.
The figure it reflected remained the same. Despite reflecting Enzo, it reflected the gloomy, pale Klein with listless eyes. Even the Sea God Scepter, the papal tiara and papal robe that came with the Tyrant card weren't missing. If it wasn't because of the lack of the gray fog, Klein definitely would've imagined that the disc could influence himself through a marionette and Spirit Body Threads. Or perhaps it would be like what the Saint of Darkness back at the ruins of the battle of gods had encountered, having himself dissociate without realizing it.
What does this actually mean... Klein calmly grew out of the shadows, restoring his appearance back when he first stepped into Calderón City. Then, using his Beyonder powers as a Clown, he produced his present state in his mind.
Holding the white bone scepter with embedded blue gems, he wore a caped papal robe with a papal tiara with different gems dotting it. His face was hidden in the shadows, appearing somewhat blurry. His entire body exhibited a gloomy and cadaveric air, as though he was a zombie that was recently dug out!
This... Klein was alarmed. He never expected to really experience such changes. Apart from the gray fog's mixing with reality, the reflection on the golden disc really was him!
Something that it doesn't involve the gray fog, it isn't anything to worry too much about... he hurriedly consoled himself as he calmed his mental state.
Normally, with Klein's rich experience and good ability to adapt, there was nothing he needed to do at the moment. But first, considering how he was holding the Sea God Scepter that easily made him rash, he needed to pay constant attention. Second, he knew that this was once Phoenix Ancestor Gregrace's divine kingdom which contained the setup required for "Her" revival. There was bound to be all kinds of abnormalities. Therefore, he was more nervous than ever before.
Getting Ludwell to return, he used his Beyonder powers to do a thorough inspection of himself before gaining a preliminary understanding.
When living creatures enter Calderón City, they will naturally transform into the deceased. This is similar to the Underworld, but there's a fundamental difference. Here, living creatures won't die an abrupt death before slowly turning into mindless undead creatures; instead, they will directly turn into dead spirits.
I didn't notice it before because Enzo and Ludwell are essentially dead, so there's no need for them to be converted... Arrodes and Red Light Aiur Moria didn't mention this because the Travelers, spirit world creatures, and angels automatically recovered after leaving alive? This kind of transformation is unable to affect the powers of the gray fog that fuses with reality. And the disc reflects the dead me, not all of me, or the me that has had some interaction with Calderón? Klein was more inclined to believe in the latter, but he wasn't too sure.
At this moment, he heard a sound coming from nearby.
Clang!
Clang! Clang!
The sound was heavy but crisp, as though someone was striking metal heavily.
Klein wasn't in a hurry to react. He carefully listened for two seconds before letting Enzo put down the heavy golden disc and walk towards a nearby broken tombstone.
The halved tombstone corresponded to a building that developed further underground. On top of it were the words written with the Language of the Dead:
"...A quick-tempered fellow, one who died as a result of comparing which was harder—his head or someone else's hammer."
Enzo circled around the damaged tombstone and arrived at the entrance to the tomb. He reached out his left hand and turned the knob, pulling open the door.
Amidst the rough grinding sounds of rust, the heavy door slowly opened.
Sou! Sou! Sou!
Pale-white beams of arrow-like light flew out!
They brushed past Enzo's face, the top of his head, torso, and inner thighs and flew into the distance, stabbing into the ground before vanishing. However, Winner Enzo was completely unharmed.
...I have to say that such a marionette is excellent for dangerous explorations... Klein sighed inwardly as he made Enzo cast his gaze down the building.
It was a blacksmith-a giant with bluish-black skin and a head that looked like a ruptured watermelon held onto a hammer as he kept striking an anvil, but there was nothing on it.
As the giant with the cracked head had normal Spirit Body Threads and wasn't the soul avatar of someone else, Klein secretly heaved a sigh of relief.
Just as he was about to get Enzo to take a more thorough look, his body suddenly turned numb as his thoughts turned sluggish.
This feeling was something he had felt before. Back in Tingen, he had been in a similar state when he was under Sealed Artifact 2-049's influence!
Klein didn't know better back then, but after becoming a Marionettist, he knew that this meant that his Spirit Body Threads had been controlled by the Sealed Artifact!
This also meant that someone was controlling his Spirit Body Threads!
Furthermore, the difference from before was that, not only were his joints "rusting" as though someone had infused glue into them, he also felt a strong numbness as if he had been struck by lightning. It made his actions become harder.
No good... It's the Spirit World Plunderer... I was guarded against... its use of soul avatar... It distracted me... and secretly approached... but I never expected... that it not only had a soul avatar... but it also... has a partner... That... giant... blacksmith... made me... careless... And the marionette's... existence... made me... ignore... my own... safety... Various thoughts emerged in Klein's mind involuntarily as it disrupted his normal thoughts of trying to save himself.
At this moment, the giant blacksmith with a ruptured head raised his hammer and rushed over to Enzo, hoping to smash him into a pulp. And by Klein's neck, there was a cold wind blowing at it, pricking his hair up one by one.
The surroundings were abnormally silent before, but now, all kinds of strange creatures emerged from the pale-white stone column, rundown houses, and the tombstone's tomb.
Some of them only had half a body. Others were transparent and nearly invisible. Some were stretched and soft like noodles. Some had a ruptured chest with bloody innards. Some had dark green faces that resembled that of an evil spirit. Others had eyes growing everywhere around their body. There were also others who looked like jellyfish that lived in the air.
Countless gazes were cast onto Klein from different areas. They were without any feelings, just indifferent.
At this moment, Klein opened his mouth with great difficulty as he said a word slowly:
"Sing..."
Just as he said that, the glove on his left palm opened its mouth, revealing its white teeth:
"Praise you!
"The Lord that created everything;
"The Lord who reigns behind the curtain of shadows;
"The degenerated nature of all living things!"
Amidst this jarring voice that resembled blackboard scratching sounds, Enzo, who had been thrown to the ground, successfully avoided the hammer's strike as Word of the Sea began spewing out water bubbles in excitement.
"Break! Break! Break!"
Klein suddenly felt his head ache as his ability to think was instantly recovered, no longer having disconnected thoughts for a brief moment.
However, his body remained "rusted" as his body was filled with numbness.
Following that, he relied on his spirituality while motionless, controlling Ludwell, who had returned to his side, to punch him with his left fist.
Bang!
Klein staggered back, instantly extricating himself from the numb and sluggish state.
Then, wearing the papal tiara, he became hot-headed as he spread his papal cape and raised Sea God Scepter.
The blue gems lit up one after another as a bright silver bolt of lightning blasted down.
The bolt of lightning spread into "branches," blanketing Calderón City's periphery for hundreds of meters with a lightning forest. The destructive aura and sense of destruction were brought to the forefront!
The strange creatures that had charged out from various spots shattered, evaporated, and completely vanished as a result of the swath of silver.
Moments after the silver storm quelled, Tyrant Klein's Sea God Scepter emitted a blinding light once again.
The rapturous bolts of lightning snaked, embroiled the area, smiting down again and again like a huge wave.
After two repeated casts of Lightning Storm, Klein was exhausted as he found his calm again.
His heart beat suddenly as he recalled something.
Lightning Storm was indiscriminate when it struck. Apart from the Sea God Scepter-wielding him and the partner who stood beside him, everything else suffered a decimating blast!
This also meant that Ludwell was still fine, but there was a high chance of Enzo being "wiped out."
Klein instinctively looked over and saw Enzo curled by the side of the halved tombstone. Behind him was the huge metallic hammer which still had tiny bolts of lightning snaking around. Not far from it was two nonhuman charred legs.
The tomb corresponding to the tombstone had already collapsed. The iron-black tiles that landed on the ground still had remnant silver bolts of lightning sizzling away.
...As expected of a Winner. He didn't even die despite such an onslaught... The amount of luck he accumulated has probably been passively expended... Klein felt relieved as he activated his Spirit Body Threads vision to observe his surroundings.
He was searching for the Spirit World Plunderer!
He believed that the range of a Spirit World Plunderer's controlling of Spirit Body Threads couldn't match that of a Lightning Storm!
The already dilapidated buildings had nearly been leveled. The remaining stone pieces and bones were mostly charred black. Even the heavy golden disc was in shambles.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the rubble more than a hundred meters away from Klein.
It was wearing a translucent white robe. It didn't have a head or limbs. It appeared like it was being propped up by an invisible person.
At that moment, it looked like it was in a sorry state, with wounds and black marks everywhere.
This is the Spirit World Plunderer I suppose... My rash usage of two Lightning Storms seems to have restrained it... Upon seeing this scene, Klein had such thoughts flash through his mind.
