Ever since the information about the suspected Bizarro Bane-Shapeshifter-was given to Mr. World, Derrick constantly believed that the latter might one day entrust him with a mission for the corresponding ingredients. However, his strength was lacking. Even with his friends, it was impossible for him to complete the hunt. Furthermore, such expeditions needed to go through the six-member council. Private teams were unable to wander too far from the City of Silver. Therefore, all he could do was temporarily suppress it deep down. From time to time, it was used to motivate him to advance quicker.
To his surprise, it didn't take long before an expedition team headed for Nois City was set up. Leading the team was Chief Colin Iliad!
Combining his previous discussion with Mr. Hanged Man, Miss Justice, and company at the recent Tarot Gathering, Derrick quickly came up with a theory:
During the exploration of the former Chief's mausoleum, Mr. Fool had provided a certain level of help to the present Chief, allowing him to foil the Fallen Creator's ploy and successfully resolve certain matters. Hence, noticing his search for information, the Demon Hunter had decided to hunt a Shapeshifter to please the deity!
"This is a necessary way to curry favor, and is also a kind of equivalent exchange..." The Hanged Man's words resounded in Derrick's mind. It made him no longer puzzled over the matter. So, taking the opportunity before he set out, he prayed to Mr. Fool and requested "Him" to inform Mr. World of this expedition.
He quickly received a response and heard Mr. World say:
"... If the hunting of the Bizarro Bane is difficult or dangerous, the requirements can be lowered. Attempt to extract its blood.
"As long as you obtain it, I'll trade for it with the Priest of Light's Beyonder characteristic."
Priest of Light's Beyonder characteristics? Mr. World already has the Priest of Light Beyonder characteristic? Or could it be that he has locked onto a target and will quickly be able to obtain it? With the Chief's strength and the teamwork of the expedition team, there's a high chance of success if it's just extracting the blood... Derrick felt relieved as he held Thunder God's Roar and left his residence, heading straight for the training field.
Just as he arrived at his destination, he saw Chief Colin Iliad. The latter carried two swords on his back. He was tall and staid, leaving anyone who saw him at ease.
And beside this Demon Hunter was another person. She was wearing a black robe with purple patterns, and she had long, curly, silver-gray hair-Shepherd Lovia.
Lovia, who was apparently participating in this expedition, turned her head as her pale gray eyes reflected Derrick Berg's figure. However, there was only calm in her eyes.
Derrick felt a baffling sense of alarm as he involuntarily slowed down his pace.
East Balam, above the gray fog.
Klein deeply approved of the City of Silver's Chief's organization of an expedition to Nois City. He also informed Little Sun that there was no need to take risks. All he needed was some blood of the target for the completion of the mission.
When the time came, he could smear the blood over Groselle's Travels, bring all his gear, and challenge the Bizarro Bane on his turf; thus, obtaining the Beyonder ingredients he needed.
Klein had also considered the possibility of whether Groselle's Travels's ability to swallow people into the book's world was screened by the uniqueness of the Forsaken Land of the Gods. He had also come up with a solution. It was to bestow Little Sun with Groselle's Travels. After achieving the goal, he could get Little Sun to sacrifice it back.
In addition, he wasn't worried about the Bizarro Bane lacking blood because of its nature as a spirit world creature. This was because the Bizarro Sorcerer potion formula clearly wrote:
"Supplementary ingredients: 200 ml of a Bizarro Bane's blood..."
There are always more solutions than problems... Klein muttered in satisfaction before returning to the real world.
Before sleeping, he received a reply from Leonard Mitchell. It mentioned that it would take another day for the Worm of Time, and he described the monsters known as evil spirits in detail.
Another day before it can be provided. And there will be two of them. The grandpa in Leonard's body has quite a good attitude... Unable to leave the territory, limited in activity range... Their common trait is to devour the souls of living creatures and to desire Beyonder ingredients from their pathway from when they were still alive... This also means that the evil spirit will seek out the corresponding ingredients and Beyonder characteristics when it wields control over Ince Zangwill's body. This is indeed a direction for investigation. Klein held the letter as he read and thought.
Suddenly, he recalled something:
Back when he encountered Ince Zangwill on Waypoint Island in the Berserk Sea, the latter had been pursued by a powerful demigod from the Hunter pathway!
Could... Could it be a result of that evil spirit?
I previously imagined that Ince Zangwill had received a commission by some faction in the royal family, and did something that targeted the Intis Republic, only to have a mistake happen; thus exposing himself and getting pursued by their powerhouses...
From the looks of it, there might be another possibility... That evil spirit desires the Beyonder characteristics of the Hunter pathway, and when it could control Ince Zangwill's body, it attempted to hunt Beyonders of the same pathway. This might've succeeded or failed. In short, the result was that he was targeted by a powerful demigod from the Hunter pathway. He pursued him the entire journey with his intuition as a hunter. The more Klein thought about it, the more convinced he was that his theory was close to reality.
This was the only way to explain why Ince Zangwill, who wielded 0-08, was discovered!
At this moment, Enzo and Ludwell were kneeling down, massaging Klein's legs.
I can guess that it's an evil spirit of the Hunter pathway for now. I'll later write back to Leonard and get him to steer the investigations in this direction. Eh, this fellow's acting isn't that great, nor does he have the psychological experience. I wonder if he will end up exposing himself. Perhaps, he will explain it away with some nonexistent informant... Hunter pathway evil spirit. Hunter pathway evil spirit... Klein's eyes suddenly widened as he suddenly sat up, leaving his two marionettes at a loss.
There weren't many evil spirits he knew, and he had only seen one; however, that one happened to be from the Hunter pathway!
It was Red Angel Medici's main body that had combined with the remnant psyches of the two Sequence 1 angel from the Sauron and Einhorn families!
When it came to the Hunter pathway, there was no evil spirit that was of an even higher level. That was unless Blood Emperor Alista Tudor still had his psyche remaining.
Previously, Ince Zangwill was in Backlund. That evil spirit, who I'm not sure if I should call Medici, was also in Backlund.
Later, that evil spirit escaped the seal, and its whereabouts are unknown. As for Ince Zangwill, he suffered from the possession of an evil spirit.
Both sides are evil spirits from the Hunter pathway...
This... Could the one possessing Ince Zangwill be the Red Angel evil spirit? Klein frowned bit by bit, almost finding his theory unbelievable. However, he found it very possible!
As his thoughts raced, he found another indirect piece of evidence:
The unique trait of 0-08 is that once you know it, it will also know you. And as a King of Angels who survived from the Second Epoch, Red Angel Medici probably knows all kinds of details about 0-08!
In other words, as long as the evil spirit attempted to recall anything related to 0-08, 0-08 would know of it and establish a connection.
Right, there was that sentence: "Pleasure working with you" ...No way... But the problem lies in the fact that I previously suspected that evil spirit to have one Sequence 1 characteristic. There's no need for it to seek any more of it. Could it be that it hasn't digested it? Klein rubbed his temples as his head ached. He stood up, entered his bathroom, and took four steps counterclockwise and headed above the gray fog.
Just as he sat down, he conjured a pen and paper and wrote the following divination statement:
"The one possessing Ince Zangwill is the evil spirit back in the underground ruins of Alista Tudor."
He scrutinized each word for a few seconds before taking off the topaz pendant on his left wrist and planned to use spirit dowsing for the divination.
This time, the scene he saw when he opened his eyes
was:
The topaz pendant stood still.
This meant that the divination had failed.
The level is too high and there's 0-08. Right, that evil spirit also carried the Red Priest card that has anti-divination and anti-prophecy properties. It's no wonder I failed with the three combined... Hmm, this is also an indirect confirmation. Klein analyzed the reason and considered what other ways he could make a verification.
He tapped his finger on the edge of the long bronze table and silently muttered to himself, Apart from getting Leonard to lead the Red Gloves to do an investigation, I should do something as well...
Assuming that the one possessing Ince Zangwill is really the Red Angel evil spirit, where will it seek out Beyonder ingredients from the Hunter pathway when it gains control of the body?
Intis's capital, Trier? Feysac capital, St. Millom? Or would it solely rely on the Card of Blasphemy's activation and seal in order to use the law of Beyonder characteristic convergence to attract Beyonders to fly to it like moths flying to a fire?
Wait, it mentioned before that the descendants of the Medici family are in Bansy Harbor.
Although it has already been destroyed, there might still be something buried there!
Also, the evil spirit with the three angels' remnant spirit has very potent provocative traits. This matches Leonard's description of evil spirits in the letter. It might've deliberately left something in Bansy...
With this in mind, Klein immediately conjured The World Gehrman Sparrow's figure and requested The Hanged Man to head to Bansy once more to do a more thorough investigation.
After doing that, Klein began contemplating. Once he confirmed that Ince Zangwill had the Red Angel evil spirit in him, he wondered if he could use the law of Beyonder characteristic convergence as a starting point, enticing "Ince Zangwill" into the trap he set up using the corresponding ingredients.
Hunter pathway... Hunter pathway... Amidst his thoughts, Klein suddenly recalled two Hunters who were loitering in West Balam.
He frowned slightly and began analyzing.
Although East Balam and West Balam are vast territories, and the distance between the city that Ince Zangwill made his last appearance and the Northern State is very great, he will probably take nearly half a month to travel, even as a demigod since he doesn't have Teleport. In theory, Danitz and Anderson will not suddenly encounter the Red Angel evil spirit because of the law of convergence. Also, their Sequences are too low, but I can't be too sure...
West Balam, Northern State, Cookawa City.
Danitz shot a glance at Anderson and blurted out.
"I'm going to do some investigations. Why are you following me?
"Logically speaking, shouldn't you head back to the Fog Sea at Behrens Harbor?"
