Deep in the Forsaken Land of the Gods, on the peak of a mountain stood a gigantic cross that bordered the realm of reality and illusion.
There was a blurry figure hanging there. Ancient wooden stakes dyed with fresh blood that didn't drip down passed through "His" body, nailing "Him" to the cross.
At the bottom of the cross was the Angel of Fate Ouroboros, who was wearing a simple linen robe and had silver hair that reached "His" waist. "He" sat there cross-legged with a gentle and pious expression as "He" closed "His" eyes and prayed.
Adam, whose face was half-covered by a pale blond beard, walked over and stopped in front of the huge cross. "He" raised "His" head and silently looked at the hanging figure.
"He" held Arrodes in one hand and held the second Blasphemy Slate in the other. "His" eyes were limpid and his expression was calm.
After an unknown period of time, the image of The Hanged Man on the huge cross suddenly faded away, connecting to the sky and to the land below with a shadow curtain. Behind the curtain, there seemed to be a pair of cold eyes watching over the world.
In the next second, a rift appeared in the shadow curtain. It was dark inside, faintly reverberating with an illusory tidal wave.
Adam raised "His" left hand and let the ancient and mysterious magic mirror emit a faint glow.
In the light, a sticky but illusory black liquid surged out. A boundless sea that seemed to contain all colors appeared. It looked like it was at arm's length but couldn't affect reality.
Following that, Adam placed the second Blasphemy Slate into the illusory scene.
The illusory sea scene in the distance ebbed gently as it circled the second Blasphemy Slate, forming a certain connection with it.
The second Blasphemy Slate was a manifestation of the corpse of the ancient sun god—one which was extremely close to being a Great Old One, and almost equivalent to the owner of the Chaos Sea.
Upon seeing this scene, Adam's left hand moved slightly, allowing Arrodes to fly up and fall towards the Angel of Fate Ouroboros under the huge cross.
The second Blasphemy Slate that "He" held underwent some subtle changes, and through the rift on the curtain, "He" walked inside.
The shadow curtain closed and quickly faded away, leaving behind a huge empty cross.
No one said a word throughout the entire process. Everything was carried out silently. Angel of Fate Ouroboros didn't even attempt to open "His" eyes.
At the same time, Amon became a god and used the first Blasphemy Slate to block the tunnel that the Mother Goddess of Depravity was trying to enter through. The Lord of Storms finally smote apart the corpse cathedral that Adam had envisioned out of nothing, and one of Adam's identities.
After a while, Tail Devourer Ouroboros opened "His" eyes and cast "His" gaze at Arrodes, which had landed on "His" lap.
On the surface of the mirror, silver words appeared in the swirling illusory water:
"You should know the feeling of piously believing and following a great existence, right?"
Ouroboros nodded indifferently.
"So, can you send me back to my Lord?" On the surface of the mirror, silver words squirmed and formed a new sentence. "Once you answer, you can ask me two questions."
Ouroboros silently looked at the ancient mirror in silence for a long time.
Finally, Arrodes couldn't help but produce a new question:
"Why aren't you answering?"
Ouroboros looked at "Himself" in the mirror and replied calmly, "I haven't thought through it yet."
"Three questions..." On the surface of the magic mirror, the silver light slowly outlined two words.
...
In Backlund, on a lawn that belonged to a bungalow.
Will Auceptin, who was already over two years old, was happily chasing a fat golden cat with glistening fur. Beside "Him" was a nanny and a maid.
Ever since this Snake of Fate was born, Aaron Ceres's career had improved by the day. Now, he owned a private hospital that provided medical services to high society.
As "He" ran, Will Auceptin stepped on a spot that was slippery. With a slip, "His" body involuntarily leaned back.
"He" took a few steps back and stepped on another rock.
This provided an impetus to stop Will Auceptin's fall, miraculously allowing him to maintain "His" balance.
In regards to this encounter, alarms started ringing in this chubby toddler's head. This was because with "His" luck, it was impossible for "Him" to step on a spot that could make people slip.
A familiar figure quickly appeared in "His" eyes.
It was Sherlock Moriarty wearing a half top hat and a black double-breasted coat.
Will Auceptin turned "His" head abruptly and looked at "His" nanny and maid. "He" discovered that they hadn't noticed the appearance of the stranger on the lawn.
"I have a nagging feeling you would say: ‘Go ahead and scream. No one will hear you,'" the two-year-old toddler mumbled as he turned around.
Without waiting for Klein's reply, "He" spread "His" hands and said, "In short, I must congratulate you on becoming a King of Angels.
"Bullying children doesn't suit your current status."
Klein let out a soft chuckle.
"Do you know how to fool fate?"
Will Auceptin raised "His" head and looked warily at Klein.
"Giving me fake ice cream isn't equivalent to fooling fate."
With that said, "He" grumbled, "Why don't you squat down? At my age, it'll be bad for my neck's development if I have to keep raising my head like this."
Klein didn't have the air of a newly advanced King of Angels. He squatted down with a smile, allowing Will Auceptin to look him straight in the eye.
Will Auceptin held "His" nanny's hand and said, "Unless I've advanced to Sequence 0 and become a Wheel of Fortune, fooling me in any form doesn't count as fooling fate."
Klein thought and asked, "You haven't found the opportunity to accommodate the Die of Probability?"
"No." Will Auceptin shook "His" head before adding, "I have a premonition that it's coming soon."
Klein carefully looked at the chubby two-year-old toddler for a few seconds before suddenly smiling.
"If I were to give you and the Die of Probability to Ouroboros, would ‘He' quickly advance to Sequence 0?"
Will Auceptin glared at Klein and said, "He will also need to wait for an opportunity to accommodate it. Furthermore, the opportunity to become a Wheel of Fortune, and the requirement to accommodate the Die of Probability isn't the same."
As "He" spoke, Will Auceptin curled "His" lips.
"If you wish to accommodate The Fool's Uniqueness, the corresponding ritual can be simplified. It won't be that difficult.
"In such a situation, by ingeniously using the abilities of a Trojan Horse of Destiny and making a sacrifice to a certain degree, there's a chance of fooling fate.
"However, when you attempt to advance to Sequence 0, even if you accommodate the Uniqueness and absorb three Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics on separate occasions, you will still have to hold a ritual, allowing the corresponding items to fuse and undergo a qualitative change."
Is that so... In other words, choosing to first accommodate the Uniqueness is just a trick, but in the end, I have to truly fool time, history, or fate... Klein nodded slightly and said, "I roughly understand."
He smiled and added, "Enjoy your childhood. I wonder how long it will last."
With that said, Klein's figure turned transparent and vanished from the lawn.
Will Auceptin's other empty hand instinctively grabbed forward before retracting it weakly.
"He left just like that... He's so rude. He actually didn't prepare a present when he visited..." the child couldn't help but mutter.
...
North Borough in Backlund. Saint Samuel Cathedral.
Klein, who had transformed into Dwayne Dantès, walked into the prayer hall and found a corner to sit down.
He looked at the Evernight Sacred Emblem on the altar, lowered his head, clasped his hands, and began to pray.
"The Evernight Goddess who stands higher than the cosmos and more eternal than eternity. You are also the Mother of Concealment, the Empress of Misfortune and Horror..."
As he prayed, Klein's body and mind gradually settled down as though he had entered a half-awake state.
After an unknown period of time, a boundless darkness appeared in front of him. Beside his feet was a clump of night vanilla and slumber flowers.
This place was so quiet that even breathing seemed to disturb those in slumber around him.
Before Klein could survey his surroundings, a figure suddenly descended from the depths of the darkness.
There was clearly no sky or land here, but the figure seemed to come from the crimson moon or the stars in the sky.
"She" was wearing a long, layered black dress that didn't seem complicated at all. It was adorned with countless resplendent lights, as though the starry night sky had been draped upon it.
"Her" head was indistinct and difficult to discern. He could only confirm that it was a female.
"Long time no see," the figure said gently before Klein spoke.
"Her" voice was like a lullaby.
Klein bowed in a gentlemanly manner and said, "Is this directed at the former Lord of the Mysteries, or me who was previously hung above Sefirah Castle?"
Klein was very certain that this was a dream, but a dream didn't mean that it was fake.
The Evernight Goddess's projection said with a smile, "I'm not sure where you were hanging above that door of light. After I left, I never went back again."
Indeed... Klein sighed inwardly. From the details, he confirmed the origins of the Evernight Goddess Amanises.
"The three cocoons of light that tore open were side by side," he replied simply.
The Evernight Goddess's projection was silently floating in the darkness, giving off a surreal feeling.
"She" said softly, "The people there were all candidates meant for the Lord of the Mysteries's revival, but due to some unknown incident, "He" lost control of many things.
"If it wasn't for that, I would've died long ago, and lived with the identity of the Lord of the Mysteries. Then, you and Roselle wouldn't have had the chance to return to reality."
This means that the death of the Celestial Worthy is more thorough. "He" can only rely on the will left inside the Beyonder characteristic and the mechanical arrangements of Sefirah Castle to revive? Klein sighed and smiled.
"I can already hear ‘Him' whispering into my ears."
