The Terror of Option Chapter 1003 1003: 151 LOTM

Backlund, St. George Borough, in a factory room filled with junk.

Light flashed in a mirror filled with obvious cracks. Its surface turned dark and deep, as though it was connected to another world.

Suddenly, a white hand reached out from under the mirror, as though it had penetrated through layers of aqueous waves.

A figure walked out from the shadows—she was none other than the sweet and beautiful Demoness Trissy in a long black dress.

There was a rare paleness to her face, as though her face had lost all its ruddiness. Her forehead was covered in dense beads of sweat.

With a smacking sound, the suitcase in Trissy's hand fell to the ground. She could hardly suppress the horror in her eyes.

She then muttered to herself blankly, "His ssenger is actually an angel..."

At that mont, Trissy felt a chill run down her spine, as though a cold wind had blown at her.

She had never expected how dangerous it would be to summon a ssenger previously. Thankfully, the woman holding the four heads in her hands watched her silently for a while before she left without doing anything.

160 Boklund Street, inside Dwayne Dantes's mansion.

"Who's it from?" Klein asked with anticipation as he received the letter from Miss ssenger.

The four heads in Reinette Tinekerr's hand spoke one after another:

Vessel..." "Of..." "Dirtiness..." "Darkness..."

This nickna... Klein was taken aback when he heard that. For a mont, he didn't imdiately figure out who Miss ssenger was referring to.

In his mind, the people who knew how to summon his ssenger quickly flashed past, one by one, as he filtered through them.

In a few seconds, he had the corresponding guess.

Trissy!

From what Klein knew, this Demoness, who had been renad to Trissy Cheek, might very well be one of the diums for the Primordial Demoness's awakening or descent upon the world.

In such a situation, calling her a "vessel" wasn't wrong.

And people who knew enough about the mysterious world knew that the Primordial Demoness was an evil goddess, one that was known as the ultimate bringer of the apocalypse that would end everything. "She" had the creation of the apocalypse and the destruction of everything as "Her" mission. She also wielded authorities such as desires related to feelings and emotions. It wasn't very apt to describe "Her" with dirtiness and darkness, but it was understandable.

Similarly, dirtiness and darkness could also describe Trissy, who had been corrupted by the evil goddess to a certain extent.

As expected of an angel. "She" actually dared to say that about the Primordial Demoness... Klein secretly marveled as he opened the letter and quickly read it.

At that mont, he suddenly recalled sothing. He hurriedly looked at Miss ssenger and said, "What reaction did the sender have when she saw you?"

"She..." "Was ..." "Very scared..." Reinette Tinekerr's three heads spoke one after another without giving the last one a chance to speak as its head was simply left agape.

Klein's expression turned slightly heavy as he deliberated and asked, "Did you mark her?"

The head of Reinette Tinekerr, which failed to speak previously, rushed to speak.

"No..."

The remaining three blonde, red-eyed heads added, "Because..." "She..." "Had..."

"The aura..." "Of..." "Primordial..."

Klein fell silent for a few seconds before nodding.

"I understand."

After watching Miss ssenger step into the void and leave, he unfurled the piece of paper and quickly read Trissy's letter.

She actually sought out to deal with Saintess of White Katarina... Isn't this exactly what I wanted to do? Klein's eyes shimred a few tis as he imdiately rummaged for a black sticky blob.

Right on the heels of that, he transford into Gehrman Sparrow and sared the blob uniformly onto a tiny mirror in the room.

After patiently waiting for nearly ten minutes, the black sticky blob vanished into thin air, leaving nothing behind. Klein had failed to contact Demoness Trissy.

As expected, Trissy, who has been corrupted by the Primordial Demoness to a certain extent, managed to identify Miss ssenger's level and was given a fright... She probably wouldn't communicate with Gehrman Sparrow anyti soon... Sigh, if I had known Miss ssenger is a special angel, I definitely wouldn't have let "Her" appear in front of Trissy, or I would've inford "Her" that if a Demoness were to summon "Her," she can bring both the person and letter over... Klein sighed silently and could only bla it on his luck.

At that mont, he suddenly heard a series of illusory pleas.

In a dark alley in the Backlund Bridge area.

Xio hid Wintry Blade and entered the area, looking around warily.

"Not bad, you're getting more and more experienced."

A deep male voice sounded, and a figure walked out from the darkness around the corner.

He stood tall, wearing a golden mask that revealed his eyes, nostrils, mouth, and cheeks. It was none other than the MI9 mber who had contacted Xio before.

"Why did you contact so urgently?" Xio asked.

The golden-masked man didn't make any small talk and directly asked, "You still seem to be monitoring Viscount Stratford's surroundings. Have you discovered anything unusual recently?"

Xio thought and said, "Yes.

"He had intimate contact with a girl of unknown origins. He made her visit him at his residence late at night several tis.

"I tried to track that woman down, but I failed both tis.

"Also, Viscount Stratford suddenly went out in the middle of the night two days ago. I don't know where he went because I didn't manage to follow him."

The golden-masked man tersely acknowledged this as he went deeper into the details. Xio answered according to the details she had seen back then. She only concealed the fact that she had t Shermane in the carriage and how she had followed Viscount Stratford all the way outside the warehouse.

"Not bad. Your persistence was rewarding." The golden-masked man nodded slightly. He didn't seem to doubt what Xio had said.

He sighed and said, "With this, your contributions to us will increase significantly.

To be frank, if this continues, you'll soon be able to accumulate the contributions needed for the Sequence 6 potion. However, before that, there will definitely be a strict examination. And with your background, heh heh, it will fail the examination without a doubt. After all, I know it very well.

"Actually, there's no need for you to seek the truth. I know that this was the motivation for you to persist in continuing the mission regarding Viscount Stratford, but my personal suggestion is to put the matter aside.

"With your current Sequence and abilities, it's enough to let your mother and brother lead a very good life. Don't worry, no one will cause you trouble.

"And if you wish to continue persisting, I cannot guarantee what will happen."

Although Xio had already expected such an explanation, she was helpless in resisting her emotions and throbbing heart. She blurted out a question:

"Who exactly are you?"

"I'm just an ordinary Mid-Sequence Beyonder," the golden-masked man said with a smile. "You might not know that the post of 'captain of the royal guards' has the corresponding authority in MI9. It's equivalent to a deputy director that handles matters related to the royal family. Back when your father was alive, I was his subordinate and had received his help in various aspects. After his passing, I, who didn't commit any wrongs or hide any matters, was removed from the core of MI9. See, heh—I'm only responsible for informants on the outside like you."

Upon saying that, the golden-masked man sighed.

Your father helped a lot. So, after I recognized you, I deliberately made you beco an informant under . With the extent of my power, I provided you so help. I have a family of my own and my own life, so I can't take excessive risks or do anything too dangerous for you. @@@@

"Let's do this, I'll help you get the potion formula for Judge. Afterward, stop your contributions and your pursuit to advance your Sequence. Do sothing that will improve your life. As for what you want to do or plan to do in private, I don't know, nor do I want to know."

Xio fell into a daze. Her lips trembled as she said, "What kind of person was my father?"

The golden-masked man sighed as he replied, "He was a really brave, noble, and just aristocrat, but he wasn't that perfect. He was impulsive, eager, prone to anger..."

Xio silently listened and had planned on asking further, but all she said was a phrase:

"Thank you."

"Go back. After obtaining the Judge formula, I'll leave you a ssage to et ," the golden-masked man said with a wave.

After Xio completely disappeared from the alley's entrance, the golden-masked man was just about to turn around when a slightly ethereal voice sounded in his ears:

"She's lying.

"She had tailed Viscount Stratford to the scene back then. It's sothing that can be confird."

The golden-masked man fell silent for a mont before saying to the shadow beside him, "She might've only been worried that this would arouse suspicion.

"How can she defeat Viscount Stratford at her Sequence? Besides, wasn't it said that Viscount Stratford carried a Grade 1 Sealed Artifact?

"I believe that she likely didn't dare approach. Otherwise, she wouldn't even be able to survive!"

The slightly ethereal voice replied, "No matter what, since there is a doubt, we need to do further investigations. Don't inquire about it in the future."

Outside the alley, Xio walked calmly along street lamps.

She deliberately didn't ntion that she had followed Viscount Stratford.

This wasn't to hide the truth, to clear herself of suspicion, or to not invite trouble; in fact, that was contrary to her true motives.

Before the Tarot Club, her plan was to say that she had followed Viscount Stratford to a particular warehouse in the dock area. Outside, she was scared off by a terrifying hurricane. This was more convincing and made it less prone to suspicion. However, after knowing that this matter piqued The World Gehrman Sparrow's interest, she secretly changed her mind and decided to use her explanation to garner suspicion.

She felt that if she wanted to investigate the king's secret at her level, it might take another three to five years, or even longer. Perhaps, there wouldn't be any hope forever. But with The World's help, success was a possibility.

As such, she was willing to bear the risks and place herself right in the middle of the tides.

And today, before eting the golden-masked man from MI9, Xio had prayed to Mr. Fool so that "He" could inform The World Gehrman Sparrow of her thoughts.

-x-X-x-

Above the endless gray fog, in the magnificent and ancient palace.

With one hand holding the Unshadowed Crucifix, and the other holding the Sea God Scepter, he was observing the real world through the crimson star that represented Judgnt.

In his spiritual vision, apart from the short Miss Xio and the golden-masked MI9 officer, there was another person hidden in the dark alley.

This was a man in his thirties. He didn't have any special features, and he looked like the typical Loenese man from the mid-north area. Not only did he blend into the shadows, but he also had the characteristic of automatically making people dismiss his existence. If he weren't above the gray fog and had true vision, Klein suspected that even he wouldn't be able to discover the person if he were there in person. He would only be able to outline the person with his spiritual intuition when the person took any abnormal actions.

Hiding in the shadows with Psychological Invisibility? Half of it depends on an item, while the other half depends on his Sequence... In conclusion, this isn't a demigod...

That's right. In the eyes of the king's faction, Ms. Xio is only a Sequence 7 and doesn't have any notable mystical items. If the matter concerning Viscount Stratford was really related to her, there must be a mastermind behind her, or even a faction. In this situation where there are undercurrents surging about, letting a demigod who might know too much perform the investigation might throw them into a trap. And if a demigod who knows little of the situation were to do it, there might be a chance that the information to be leaked to the three Churches and result in an impetus for them to be investigated...

In this case, a Sequence 5 or Sequence 6 Beyonder with trustworthy strength while also not knowing too many secrets due to his limitations in rank is an excellent choice... Klein silently said to himself, giving up the thought of "Teleporting" over as Gehrman Sparrow to capture him.

He couldn't get any useful information for now!

He decided to wait patiently, waiting for the situation to change.

Of course, it wasn't possible for him to continue monitoring from above the gray fog. If that happened, his physical body in the real world would be defenseless for prolonged periods of ti. An accident would be disastrous. Hence, he created a batch of charms and handed it to Judgnt, The Magician, and the other Tarot Club mbers. They were to imdiately activate the charms if the situation deteriorated. That way, they could receive the help of The World.

This would be simpler than directly reciting the honorific na of The Fool to get "Him" to forward the information!

This was inspired from the Evemight coat of arms that the ascetic leader of the Church of Evernight, Arianna, had provided him. It was equivalent to a solidified ritual that pointed to him. From a mysticism angle, the principle wasn't complicated. The difficulty needed in carrying out the ritual was that the target could react upon receiving the news from a distance away. This was to an that for a limited distance, a Sequence 3 saint was fine, but for unlimited distances, it needed to be at the angel level.

As a newly-advanced demigod, Gehrman Sparrow was able to allow the charm to be useful because, when he made it, he used the corresponding honorific na and symbol of Sea God Kalvetua, and with the help of the gray fog, he could respond throughout the world.

It sounded a little complicated, but simply put, he had made use of his other identity's level.

As for the materials used for the charms, they were mostly tin—extrely easy to obtain and cheap.

In the Backlund Bridge area, Xio had both hands in her brown jacket pockets as she strolled leisurely along the streets.

Under the light of a street lamp that was quite a distance away, her expression was relatively calm, but she was unusually tense.

The hands in her pocket either held the handle of the Wintry Blade through a hole while the other was holding onto a charm made of tin with so force.

That was the "summoning charm" provided by The World Gehrman Sparrow.

As she walked, she made several detours without suffering from any ambush. The night remained quiet and tranquil.

Initially, she was worried that the king's faction would be able to openly capture her through MI9 or other official organizations and bring her back for an investigation. In this case, summoning Mr. World would only lead him into an extrely awkward and dangerous situation. It was equivalent to being at odds with all the official factions in Backlund. But later, she realized that such a developnt wouldn't occur. This was because her existence would be exposed to the three Churches. When that happens, the ones doing the investigation definitely wouldn't be the king's faction inside MI9.

The investigation must be done in secret. The person that appears might not even be soone from the military... Well, they're still watching, afraid that I'm only bait? Mr. World said not to trouble him if we can resolve it ourselves... Xio looked around her without letting down her guard. She didn't continue loitering outside and returned to the periphery of East Borough and entered her rented condominium.

Frankly speaking, she didn't want to involve Fors in this risky endeavor. However, the two of them were the ones who had been following Viscount Stratford. This ant that Fors had also been put on the investigation list.

Although, as long as Fors hid in East Borough and seldom went out, it wasn't certain that MI9 could find her. Doing so would lead to the corresponding investigations to reach out further. Based on her past experience, family and friends, as well as people communicated by letters would definitely be investigated. This easily affected others. Furthermore, if the two of them hid separately and didn't stay together, the feeling of them being bait beca too obvious. It made it difficult for them to hook up any targets.

After getting Fors's approval, Xio finally chose to face the subsequent developnt with her friend.

Opening the door and entering the house, Xio had just taken off her cap when she saw Fors put down the magazine. She stood up, curled her hair, smiled, and asked, "You weren't followed, right?"

This was a secret signal that the two of them had agreed upon ahead of ti. On the surface, it showed their concern about being followed, but they were actually asking if they had been investigated.

"No." Xio shook her head seriously.

Fors didn't continue this topic. Instead, she went on and on, grumbling about how she couldn't buy any good tea leaves or alcoholic beverages in the vicinity. It required her to walk very far to find them. @@@@

This warm and peaceful atmosphere continued till late at night. The two of them entered the bedroom and slept in a bunk bed.

After the candles were extinguished, Xio was about to say sothing when a holy light suddenly appeared in front of her.

The light instantly condensed into a silhouette, and twelve pairs of wings ford from scarlet flas appeared on its back.

The figure descended and the layers of wings closed, enveloping Xio.

Mr. Fool's angelic blessing... Xio was instantly enlightened.

This was also a matter that she had solemnly asked Mr. Fool when she made the prayer to contact The World Gehrman Sparrow, as she already knew that, apart from the Demoness Sect, the Psychology Alchemists was also working with the king's faction. And not only were Beyonders of the Spectator pathway capable of hypnosis, but they could also dreamwalk. They needed to be careful of any investigations that used these two powers.

If she didn't prepare herself, she suspected that she wouldn't even detect an investigation that had been carried out, let alone be able to inform Mr. World.

Everything quickly cald down. Xio opened her mouth and said to Fors who was sleeping in the bunk beneath her, "Goodnight."

"...Goodnight." Fors didn't react in ti, as though she was almost falling asleep.

This made Xio realize that she had also received the angelic blessings.

Ti ticked by and the two fell asleep.

After an unknown period of ti, the dazed Xio suddenly snapped awake, aware that she was dreaming.

Right on the heels of that, she felt sothing shadowy floating in the dark sky, and all kinds of thoughts from deep within her heart surged out to form a dream.

These thoughts were mainly things that she had been most keenly aware of recently, including the night she barged into the warehouse and attacked Viscount Stratford.

At first, Xio was a little frightened. She wanted to wake up from her dream, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't extricate herself from that state. It was as though she was still in a dream even when she opened her eyes.

She quickly cald down and tried to control those thoughts, only to realize that it wasn't difficult.

Thus, the mories of the attacks on Viscount Stratford were buried. However, after so consideration, Xio deliberately didn't do it well, leaving so clues behind.

In the dreamland, she and Fors discovered that sothing weird had happened inside the warehouse, but it wasn't the sa account she gave to MI9 that the tornado tore through the roof. Furthermore, they didn't escape imdiately.

Xio believed that this would allow the person who invaded her dreams to notice a problem but be unable to resolve it. After this, the investigators would confirm that there was a demigod or so faction behind the two of them. They would then believe that they weren't too difficult to deal with because the level of the secret wasn't too high.

This way, it was likely that they would send a demigod to deal with the aftermath. And this was a developnt that Xio anticipated. After all, every demigod had a high probability of knowing the king's secrets due to the positions they occupied.

At this mont, Xio's dream began to turn scattered, as though she had escaped so sort of guidance.

She knew that this was a sign of the intruder leaving.

For the rest of the night, nothing abnormal happened to her and Fors.

The sky lit up and the morning sun's rays started to emanate through the thin fog.

After breakfast, Audrey brought along her big golden retriever, Susie; her personal servant, Annie; and her bodyguard. They boarded their carriage as usual and headed for the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation at 22 Phelps Street.

The chiming of bells rang out from the outside occasionally, bringing with them so sort of special energy. It made Audrey turn to look at the street and take in the sights of people coming and going.

This cald her down and made her feel more energized. She only felt that the whole world was filled with vibrancy.

Just then, from the corner of her eye, Audrey saw a figure in the carriage.

The figure was wearing a black three-piece suit, a dark red bow tie, and held a top hat in his hand. His hair was completely white, but it was still thick, His light blue eyes seed to contain infinite wisdom.

This was Hvin Rambis, the Psychology Alchemists councilor, a demigod from the Spectator pathway!

Suddenly, Audrey fell into a daze, as though she had lost all her vigilance and wariness. In the carriage, Susie, Annie, and the others wore vacant looks as though they had entered a state of blankness.

Hvin Rambis's gentle voice rang out:

"Two things.

"Firstly, don't you know Fors and Xio? Arrange to et them and hypnotize them..."

-x-X-x-

That gentle voice seed to resonate with the thoughts deep in Audrey's heart. She only felt a little resistant to it before feeling as though it ca from her heart, and that it was her truest thoughts.

Hvin Rambis looked at her erald-green eyes and said unhurriedly, "Secondly, in the upcoming banquets and balls, don't be as opposed as before to the few princes who take the initiative to show their fondness. Also, praise them a few tis in front of Earl Hall and his wife.

"Rember all of the above, this is the reflection of your subconscious. Then, forget that I once said these things to you. Forget that this behavior is different from your usual behavior. Don't try to seek blessings, and stay away from key spots in the Church of Evernight's Mass..."

With that said, Hvin Rambis retracted his gaze from Audrey's eyes. He turned to cue Annie and the rest, preventing them from being surprised by their mistress's subsequent odd behavior.

After dealing with all these things, he disappeared from the carriage without causing a stir.

Ring!

Another bike passed by the window as Audrey's slightly anxious eyes recovered their luster.

She looked at the people on the street coming and going when she suddenly let out a soft exclamation.

Then, embarrassed, she turned her head to say to Annie and the rest, "I forgot sothing. I have to visit Glaint first."

At this mont, the carriage hadn't left Empress Borough and wasn't too far from Viscount Glaint's residence. The servants like Annie didn't find it strange or beco put in a difficult position. They quickly instructed the coachman to turn into another street.

This continued until twenty minutes to ten in the morning. Audrey finally arrived at Phelps Street. She walked into the second floor of the Loen Charity Bursary Foundation and entered her director's office.

Looking at Annie and the others either organizing docunts or using the spring water they brought alone to prepare black tea, Audrey brought Susie along to the lounge that was attached to her office. It was as though she wanted to check on her face to determine if she needed her lady's maid to help touch up her makeup.

During this process, Audrey glanced at the keyhole and asked Susie in a relaxed manner, "Was there anything abnormal with my behavior today?"

This was a habit that she had only gotten in the past few days. It had only started from the mont Hvin Rambis disappeared!

She knew that Mr. Fool's angelic blessing wasn't permanent. It could only be sustained for so ti, and she wasn't able to determine when Hvin Rambis would visit her. When that happens, she wouldn't have the ti to pray to Mr. Fool and do the corresponding preparations. Therefore, from her understanding and cautious attitude towards psychology and mysticism, she not only checked her behavior three tis a day for any abnormalities or for any excessive coincidences, but she also instructed Susie to take note of her condition and be her mirror.

This was a precautionary asure of being hypnotized by Hvin Rambis and cued without realizing it!

Susie sat by the side and thought seriously before saying, "Yes."

"..." Audrey's smiling expression stiffened. She quickly looked at Susie and waited for her explanation.

Susie wriggled her nose and looked around before continuing, "You didn't plan on paying a visit to Viscount Glaint when you left the house, but you changed your schedule halfway.

"You'll inform of the general schedule ahead of ti over the past few days. Also, you said that you would discuss it with if you decide to suddenly change or add to the schedule."

Upon hearing Susie's reply, Audrey's expression turned grave.

She still didn't feel that there was anything unusual about this matter, but this situation was extrely abnormal!

This made her almost certain.

Hvin Rambis had been here before, right after she left her house and before she headed for Glaint's residence!

The other party had already cued and hypnotized her and removed all traces!

However, he didn't "exhort" a dog, making "it" feel like everything that it saw was normal... Audrey subconsciously wanted Susie to leave so that she could pray to Mr. Fool, but she was hesitant.

Would my current behavior be monitored by Hvin Rambis? Will he be sitting sowhere in this room and quietly be watching ... No, if that were to happen, he would've discovered a problem when I asked Susie. Praying wouldn't make the outco any worse... Even if he's here, Mr. Fool would also discover it. I can promise a future sacrifice and pray that "He" directly send divine punishnt... However, why don't I wish to pray and ask for help... Audrey stood there, all kinds of feelings running through her as she instinctively wanted to escape.

This made her realize the contradiction, and she realized that there was a bit of resistance in her heart.

From the perspective of psychology and mysticism, she had a vague guess. She quickly put aside the idea of seeking help, allowing herself to be in her usual state of praying to the Goddess without the desire of getting a response.

This greatly reduced the conflict in her heart.

Audrey instantly beca confident. She gestured for Susie to leave first, then she looked into the mirror and began softly hypnotizing herself.

"You're not asking for help. You're only doing your usual prayers... "You're not asking for help. You're only doing your usual prayers..."

After repeating it over and over again, the vortex deep in the light greenness of Audrey's eyes that could suck a person's soul slowly dissipated, and her eyes returned to normal.

She then raised both her hands and placed them between her mouth and her nose. Then, she chanted in ancient Hers, 'The Fool that doesn't belong to this era... I might've t Hvin Rambis..."

As she spoke, she didn't ntion any desire for any help but described her discovery.

After waiting for a while, a deep red light appeared in front of Audrey, drowning her like a tidal wave.

Suddenly, her thoughts beca clear, and images flashed across her mind.

It was Hvin Rambis in his black three-piece suit, who was sitting in a horse carriage, sitting opposite her;

It was the elder who had exhorted her with a gentle voice;

It was the demigod from the Spectator Pathway whose light-blue eyes that seed to contain infinite wisdom and vortices.

At the sa ti, those words resounded in Audrey's ears again, making her rember everything that had happened.

After the crimson glow disappeared, she saw the long bronze table in front of her. Sitting at the seat of honor at the end of the table was a figure shrouded in the grayish-white fog.

As emotions of fear, horror, and panic surged through her, she stood up, lifted her skirt, and curtsied to the great existence.

"Thank you for your blessings, Honorable Mr. Fool."

Klein nodded and smiled approvingly.

"You handled it well."

Upon hearing this, Audrey suddenly felt at ease, no longer as nervous as before. She sat down and calmly described what had happened to her.

As The Fool, there was no way for him to directly discuss things with Miss Justice, analyze it for her, or give suggestions. All he did was smile and say, "This is a test of fate."

A test? Only through this test will I have the qualifications to beco a demigod, so that I can protect the people I want to protect in Backlund which is in a state of turmoil? Audrey interpreted Mr. Fool's hint and nodded seriously.

"I understand."

Without another word, Klein sighed and smiled.

"Go back and welco it."

Audrey was about to express her gratitude again when the crimson light appeared before her eyes, blurring everything she saw.

In the blink of an eye, she returned to the real world, but she didn't forget or ignore anything

A test? Does that an that I have to resolve the danger of Hvin Rambis without exposing my secrets? Even if I cause the death of Hvin Rambis, I still wouldn't be suspected by the Psychology Alchemists? How should I do that... Audrey looked at the abnormally beautiful blonde in the mirror. She turned her head slightly and glanced slightly to the side. @@@@

There was a large lounge in that direction. It belonged to the director who didn't have any responsibilities in the foundation. Just ten minutes ago, Audrey had seen Mr. Dwayne Dantès inside when she was heading up the stairs.

Above the gray fog, Klein's fingers tapped on the edge of the long mottled table as he analyzed what had happened between Miss Justice and Miss Judgnt last night.

That's not right. Adam had given the Unshadowed Crucifix through Miss Judgnt and Miss Magician. How could he not know which existence is behind them? What other test needs to be done?

Last night, I thought that the investigation of Miss Xio was purely an action from the king's faction where they only used the help of a Mid-Sequence Beyonder from the Psychology Alchemists. And for so reason, Adam didn't share any information of The Fool with the king's faction or the Demoness Sect. After all, "He" still hopes that I can give "Him" so feedback...

But from the looks of it, this probe has Adam involved in it. Otherwise, Hvin Rambis wouldn't be involved in this matter. Even for the Twilight Hermit Order, a saint is rather precious and important. They wouldn't give one up so easily as a sacrifice...

What is Adam trying to test? "He" is testing to see if Miss Judgnt's investigation of Viscount Stratford and her subsequent actions were purely by her own choice, or if it had the will of The Fool involved?

If The Fool gets the Unshadowed Crucifix and realizes that the king's secret is related to Adam's sche while still insisting that "His" subordinates investigate it, that will be making the Twilight Hermit Order an enemy. And Adam knows that Gehrman Sparrow is a Blessed...

But with Adam's abilities, there's no need to test out anything. Just sitting next to Miss Judgnt and listening to her true thoughts will be enough to grasp the actual situation. There's no need to go through so much effort...

Unless "He" has already left Backlund, or rather, to avoid certain problems, "He" doesn't dare enter this big city again, and can only investigate it through "His" subordinates...

My warning to Ms. Arianna and the Church of Evernight has taken effect, causing Adam to sense the danger of a divine descent?

Probably. Even though "He" knows that Gehrman Sparrow has sothing to do with the Death Consul, "He" probably wouldn't notice that sothing has happened to Artificial Death. Even the Numinous Episcopate's Artificial Death faction hasn't noticed a thing; therefore, with the authority of Concealnt augnting this, "He" has no idea that the Goddess wouldn't be able to carry out a divine descent for a long period of ti...

Next up, I'll have to deal with Hvin Rambis. I must make sure that Miss Justice is steered clear so as to not have any relations and isn't suspected.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, he saw Miss Justice Audrey enter the director's lounge through her prayer light in search of Dwayne Dantès.

He quickly reined in his thoughts and returned to the real world.

-x-X-x-

"Good morning, where's Mr. Dantes?" Audrey smiled politely as she asked the young male valet that was of Loen and East Balam descent.

Enuni bowed and said, "He went to the washroom and will be back soon. Honorable lady, do you wish to wait here?"

"Alright." Audrey found a single-seater and sat dowoi with all sorts of thoughts running through her mind.

Frankly speaking, if she only had to deal with Hvin Rambis, she had already co up with a concrete plan. It was to hypnotize herself in advance. When Hvin Rambis ca to gather feedback, she would activate the The World Gehrman Sparrow's charm without any ill intent. Then, she would work with the crazy adventurer to hunt the demigod.

Humph, in order to ensure that there aren't any problems, I can also make a request to Ma'am Hermit for help. She's already a demigod and can lurk in the darkness. She can then combine forces with Mr. World at the critical mont. That way, Hvin Rambis likely wouldn't be able to escape... Audrey pursed her lips as she held back from grinding her teeth.

As for how The Hermit was to co to Backlund, she didn't find it problematic. She could rent Leymano's Travels and get Mr. World to record Teleport before requesting Mr. Fool to pass it to her.

But this way, even if Hvin Rambis didn't manage to escape, the Psychology Alchemists would have ample reason to suspect that the murderer was the last person the demigod had interacted with—Audrey herself.

And this ans that there would be countless troubles in the future... Audrey's eyes shifted slightly as she tried hard to calm herself down.

At that mont, the white-sideburned and elegant Dwayne Dantes returned from the washroom. He smiled and greeted the noble lady who was waiting for him.

After letting his valet, Enuni, guard the door, this tycoon looked around before finally turning his gaze to Audrey.

You seem to have encountered so difficulty?"

Audrey didn't interpret Mr. World's actions and replied frankly, "Yes..."

She gave a description of what she had encountered and said, "What should I do to solve the problem?"

What she really ant was how she could avoid leaving behind any remnant problems for the future.

Klein smiled and said, "Why don't you discuss it with the two ladies?"

That's right! like Mr. Moon, we can request for a private mini-gathering... Oh, Judgnt Xio, The Magician Fors will definitely participate. Apart from them, I can also invite Mr. World, Mr. Hanged Man, Ma'am Hermit, Mr. Moon—uh, I can count him out... Audrey felt excited for so baffling reason.

At this mont, she felt as though she wasn't fighting alone.

"I understand." Audrey nodded with a smile.

She then thought of another problem and quickly took the opportunity to ask, "Hvin Rambis has made no longer reject the princes and praise them in front of my parents. What's his motive?"

Klein thought for a mont and said, "Perhaps it's to show so kind of friendliness on the surface. It's to rope in your father and make a hint to the Church of Evernight behind him. Regardless of the king's secret, whether it succeeds or not, he will definitely need at least one orthodox Church's support so as to reduce the opposing forces."

"Is that so..." Audrey didn't really reject Mr. World's explanation. This was the politics she was familiar with if she stripped off the outer shell that involved Beyonder powers.

She didn't stay any longer and returned to her own office. After settling her daily affairs, she grasped her afternoon break and prayed to Mr. Fool and applied for a mini-gathering to be convened.

Above the endless grayish-white fog, dark red beams rose up around the long bronze table.

Audrey looked around, stood up, and curtsied to the other mbers.

"Everyone, I have sothing I wish to hear from you."

"It sounds urgent," Alger nodded gently and replied.

Audrey sat down and said, "Yes."

She then looked at Xio and Fors.

"I t Hvin Rambis this morning. He hypnotized to do two things for him and to forget his appearance.

"Fortunately, I was quite careful and cautious. I quickly discovered sothing odd, and thanks to Mr. Fool's blessings, I rembered everything.

"One of the things Hvin Rambis asked to do was to arrange for a eting with Miss Magician and Miss Judgnt and take the opportunity to hypnotize them. I'll then obtain intel on the instigator for the actions they had recently taken and also get them to leave Backlund as quickly as possible."

What? Fors was originally worried about Miss Justice's safety, but she never expected things to make one rotation before coming back at her and Xio!

To think they targeted Miss Audrey. It's really hard to guard against them! She's targeted by a demigod... After a mont of shock, Fors felt more astonished and afraid.

She couldn't help but look at her friend and saw Xio sitting calmly, but her hands had unconsciously clenched into fists.

Cattleya didn't understand sothing as she frowned and asked, "The Psychology Alchemists, or should I say Hvin Rambis, discovered that Miss Judgnt and Miss Judgnt are mbers of our Tarot Club?" @@@@

This was a very serious and crucial matter.

Audrey shook her head and said, "No, it's only because I know them in the real world."

At that mont, she no longer tried to hide her identity from Fors and Xio.

In fact, ever since Xio joined the club and obtained the Judgnt card, Audrey knew that she would be exposed sooner or later. Through repeated observations, she had confird that her two friends had already guessed it, but they tacitly didn't expose her.

"You know them?" Cattleya asked in surprise as she adjusted her heavy glasses.

Audrey nodded.

"Yes, they were actually recomnded by . Mr. Hanged Man can testify..."

Ah? Didn't we chant Mr. Fool's honorific na because we wanted to save ourselves and get pulled in here? How did it beco a recomndation process? Fors looked at Miss Justice blankly before glancing at Xio, her face blank and confused.

Xio also had that rare, similar expression because the word "recomnded" had exceeded what she knew as well as her speculations.

Audrey felt a little embarrassed. She blinked and explained to her two friends:

"Because all of you have your own special qualities, and I also hoped that the Tarot Club will develop and expand, I recomnded the two of you to Mr. Fool. However, this was just a chance for you. If you hadn't passed Mr. Fool's test, 'He' wouldn't have pulled you in."

Test? What kind of test did I undergo? Fors was still confused. As for Xio, she thought of many things, especially the origins of the paper that had Mr. Fool's honorific na, as well as her frantic search for an exorcism.

No wonder I had an inkling that they knew each other... No wonder Miss Judgnt only entered the club after so long. This was probably due to their different individual experiences... Each of them has their own specialties. This "specialty" is the selection criteria? Do I have one? Cattleya ca to a realization as she ca up with a theory.

Upon seeing this, Alger, who had so level of judgnt regarding this, wasn't at all surprised as he chuckled and said, "We can talk about this in the future. Miss Justice, the problem you would like to ask about is how to deal with Hvin Rambis?"

"Yes." Audrey returned to the topic and asked seriously, "If we not only have to deal with Hvin Rambis' but aW the Psychology Alchemists from suspecting , what should I do?"

Alger didn't have any experience in dealing with a demigod, so all he could do was rely on his insight that had been built up over the years. He deliberated and said, "Lock onto the whereabouts of Hvin Rambis. Only take action after he has interacted with soone else?"

"How do I lock onto him?" Audrey asked the question herself before giving the answer. "After getting the answer from Miss Judgnt and Miss Magician, I'll wait until Hvin Rambis leaves after I et him again. Then, I'll recite Mr. Fool's honorific na and ask 'Him' to cast 'His' gaze on the demigod?"

Theoretically it's possible. My true vision above the gray fog has a radius of nearly ten kiloters. As long as Hvin Rambis doesn't know Teleport, I can confirm his location and trajectory for a short period of ti. Then, I can return to the real world and directly "Teleport" over. Hmm, this will require the help of divination... But the problem is that it requires The Fool to personally intervene... As The World Gehrman Sparrow, Klein said in a hoarse voice, "Let remind you of sothing. Miss Judgnt and Miss Magician had ntioned Adam in the real world. The Psychology Alchemists originated from the ruins of Hers who is a mber of the Twilight Hermit Order. And Mr. Fool doesn't wish to be at odds with the Twilight Hermit Order because of this matter. Even if we were to do anything, we must try not to let the other party know."

This string of words contained a lot of information that made Alger, Cattleya, and the rest feel like they were seriously experiencing a literal brainstorm. Xio and Fors were even more shocked.

So that organization is called the Twilight Hermit Order... Mr. Fool doesn't want to be its enemy over this matter. Is it because "He" had just finished collaborating with the Angel of Imagination Adam over the matter of Ince Zangwill? I never expected the Psychology Alchemists to be related to the Twilight Hermit Order... Wait, Hers? H-he's still alive? He's actually a mber of the Twilight Hermit Order? Th-the mbers of this organization are really unimaginably important figures? Alger first glanced at Gehrman Sparrow before failing to resist the urge to look at Cattleya.

He realized that the latter was equally shocked without hiding it.

"The Twilight Hermit Order... Is this the ancient secret organization that Emperor Roselle joined?" Cattleya mumbled to herself as if she was seeking confirmation.

Gehrman Sparrow gave the answer:

"Yes.

"After you return to the real world, it's best if you don't think about matters like this again. You'll easily be detected. If you don't trust yourself, you can get Miss Justice to give you so psychological cues."

-x-X-x-

In the ancient palace above the gray fog, with The World Gehrman Sparrow's words coming to an end, no one spoke for a mont. The entire place was silent.

The Psychology Alchemists are cooperating with the king's faction and are investigating Xio and I. The founding of the Psychology Alchemists originated from the discovery of a Hers ruins, and Hers is a mber of the Twilight Hermit Order. Its leader happens to be Angel of Imagination Adam... And Xio and I had ntioned Adam in the real world... This... We're in the sights of a King of Angels? Th-th-this... In the world of mysticism, just a slight mistake can result in such dangerous circumstances? Fors's mind was filled with Gehrman Sparrow's warnings as she was gripped by horror and panic.

Although she had experienced many things in the past, she had never had such a clear realization of the thorny path Beyonders tread. Any mistakes could lead to a terrible consequence.

...I have to be more cautious in the future... Of course, the premise is that I can survive under the watch of King of Angels Adam. May Mr. Fool bless ! Fors seriously reflected on the matter and silently prayed.

Xio also didn't expect her situation to be so perilous. She didn't expect that sothing like this would involve a King of Angels. She couldn't help but feel horrified and fearful, but she had already decided to sacrifice herself for the truth. She rapidly cald down, but couldn't help but shoot a glance at The Magician, feeling guilty for pulling her good friend into this conundrum.

At this point in ti, crying and feeling remorse won't solve the problem anymore. All I can do is try my best to keep Fors alive at the critical mont... Fortunately, there's still Mr. Fool's blessings... Xio cast her gaze at Justice Audrey as she thought to herself.

"Then what should we do next?"

She had mixed feelings towards Miss Justice's recomndation. On the one hand, she knew that Audrey thought highly of the Tarot Club and had recomnded her purely out of good intentions. On the other hand, she felt that she had gained the notice of a secret existence for no good reason. Thankfully, it was Mr. Fool, or she would've died a tragic death long ago. Even her soul wouldn't be able to receive deliverance.

Well, I guess it's because I voluntarily chanted Mr. Fool's honorific na that I was dragged into it. There wasn't any coercion. Ultimately, I'm sitting here of my own volition. It has nothing to do with Miss Justice. Also, if it weren't for her recomndation, I might never have such an opportunity to grow stronger to seek out the truth... Xio pursed her lips as she furtively took a deep breath.

Justice Audrey knew about the relationship between the Twilight Hermit Order, Hers, and Adam, so she was the calst one there. She just never expected that Fors and Xio's casual ntion of the Angel of Imagination had garnered "His" attention.

This made her have an unprecedented awareness of the horror behind the words "any ntion of it will be known."

After so deliberation, Audrey looked at The World Gehrman Sparrow and tried to interpret his words.

"Does Mr. Fool an that 'He' doesn't want to directly make an enemy of the Twilight Hermit Order at the mont? Does that an that it can be done indirectly?"

Klein nodded slightly and said, "That should be the case."

"Does it involve interfering with divination, one's attention, and prophecies?" Audrey asked.

At this mini-gathering, The World Gehrman Sparrow represented the will of The Fool.

Klein laughed and hoarsely said, "Perhaps a little more indirect."

He answered vaguely because The Fool hadn't thought of what to do either.

Their conversation seed to inspire Alger. He looked at Justice, The Magician, and Judgnt, one after another. "Which of you is a believer of the Evernight Goddess?"

He was almost certain that at least one of the three ladies believed in the Evernight Goddess. After all, among the people of Loen and the residents of Backlund, the standards for won, and those who had been educated, these filtered out most of the believers of other deities.

"I am," Xio said without hiding anything.

Audrey raised her hand slightly.

Seeing this, Alger nodded slightly.

"We can try to mislead soone and make it seem like the Church of Evernight did sothing against Hvin Rambis, not the Tarot club."

As he said this, Alger skillfully changed the pronoun he used to refer to the group. He was only invited to be a "consultant" and wouldn't actually be involved in the matter. He should've said "you" should do this and that, but he had chosen to use "we."

Pushing the bla to the Church of Evernight... This line of thought seems really familiar... Klein in his The World Gehrman Sparrow's manifestation suddenly found it amusing.

Then how should the misdirection be done?" Audrey's eyes shifted slightly as she hurriedly asked.

Alger looked around and said, "Hvin Rambis only hypnotized you to not seek blessings and sit in key spots at the Church of Evernight's Mass where you can be cleansed to a certain degree. But he didn't ask you to avoid the Church of Evernight's archbishop. You can use this to create an opportunity. et the archbishop; of course, there's no need to say anything. This way, when Hvin Rambis dies or vanishes, the Psychology Alchemists will most probably suspect that the Church of Evemight had detected sothing wrong with you and had set up a trap."

Without waiting for Miss Justice to respond, he looked at Xio.

"After you're hypnotized but before you leave Backlund, head to the nearest Church of the Evernight Goddess and pray seriously. Act like a spy sent by the Church of Evernight to infiltrate the Tarot Club. This will misdirect the Psychology Alchemists into believing that the matters pertaining to Hvin Rambis were done by the Tarot Club, but was in fact a smokescreen. The true mastermind behind all of this is the Church of Evemight..."

Acting like a spy in the Tarot Club that was sent by the Church of Evernight... Well... Klein felt a little guilty.

He was a genuine Blessed of Evernight!

And Leonard was a genuine Red Glove!

It should be said that the Tarot Club's convener and host, Mr. Fool, also draws the crimson moon on his chest... Klein muttered in amusent and helplessness. As a result, he was also rather inspired.

"This can only fool typical Beyonders. Without the blessings of Mr. Fool's Angel, the higher-ups of the Psychology Alchemists can easily figure out the truth," Cattleya reminded.

The Hanged Man replied, "So, the main point is that we should be indirectly blessed by Mr. Fool. Otherwise, would it be impossible for us to deceive the Spectator pathway's King of Angels, Adam? Also, Miss Magician and Miss Judgnt, when you pray at the cathedral of the Evernight Goddess, it's best if you pray to Mr. Fool and get "His" help in extricating yourself from the hypnosis and not imdiately leave Backlund.

"Under such circumstances, Backlund is safer than anywhere else."

"Alright," Xio replied seriously.

Seeing that the discussion had reached this point, Audrey and the others all looked towards The World Gehrman Sparrow, awaiting his response.

Klein's thoughts had already taken shape. He deliberated for a mont, then laughed hoarsely. @@@@

"Actually, there are simpler ways to interfere."

"What thods are there?" Audrey's eyes widened as she asked with concern.

Klein looked at Miss Justice and pointed at the top of his head.

"Once Hvin Rambis leaves, bum that hat accessory and trigger the charm I gave you."

That feather hat accessory? The hat accessory that can get a so-called response from Death? Mr. World hopes to get this existence to disrupt the divination, attention, and prophecy... Audrey's green eyes sparkled as she nodded in thought.

"I know what to do."

When that happens, the response would be the power of Concealnt. This way, no matter what happens, Adam can only assu that the Goddess had interfered, believing that "She" had blessed the Hall family and has nothing to do with the Tarot club... I wonder if the Goddess will send Ma'am Arianna. That way, finishing off Hvin Rambis will be made very simple. If not, I'll give myself Angel's Embrace ahead of ti and use my marionettes which are dead. That will result in a high chance of victory... Klein mumbled inwardly without saying anything else.

Justice Audrey quickly completed her plan, doing so as though she was talking to herself as she spoke to Xio and Fors:

Visit on Wednesday afternoon. This way, I'll have a chance to see the Church of Evernight's archbishop in advance...

"I'll pray to Mr. Fool for "Him" to provide his angelic blessings. That way, I won't be hypnotized by Hvin Rambis when I et him. We'll act once he leaves...

"Hvin Rambis is a cautious and conservative person. He should continue choosing to et on the way to prevent himself from being caught or from falling into a trap...

Soon, amidst the discussions of the other mbers of the Tarot Club, the plan was complete. The World Gehrman Sparrow declined Cattleya's suggestion of providing help. After all, he couldn't guarantee that powerhouses from the Church of Evernight would be involved.

As for the paynt, all the spoils would belong to The World, and Audrey would provide him with a free help commission according to his request.

On Wednesday afternoon, in Viscount Glaint's residence.

After returning to the turf club, Audrey, who was wearing a simple white dress shirt and a pair of pants of the sa, bright leather boots, and a black leather jacket that clung to her waist, stood inside the viscount's study and looked at Xio and Fors.

"Who got you to investigate Viscount Stratford and pursue the king's secret?"

Her green eyes were like an ancient pool of water in a deep mountain. It was quiet, deep and clear, making one unknowingly sink into it.

At this mont, Xio and Fors were really hypnotized. The forr answered in a daze, "It was . I'm investigating the cause of my father's death...

"However, I do pray to a particular existence to bless ..."

Audrey asked a few more questions and received a satisfactory answer. Then, she said with a gentle voice, "Leave Backlund and leave this place. You don't belong here.

"Alright, you'll wake up when you hear clap."

The mont she said that, Audrey clapped her hands and saw Xio and Fors's eyes regain their clarity.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Xio and Fors bade her farewell and left. Audrey began to wait patiently.

She planned to stay inside Viscount Glaint's residence for another half an hour. She was waiting for Xio to enter the nearest Evernight Goddess cathedral and finish her prayers before heading elsewhere.

This way, regardless of whether Hvin Rambis appeared en route or elsewhere, she would be prepared.

Picking up the lady's bonnet with a white feather accessory, Audrey walked out of the study, planning to et up with Susie and Annie first before chatting with Glaint to kill ti.

She had just taken two steps when she heard a gentle and smiling voice:

"Well done."

Audrey's pupils dilated as she hurriedly turned her head, only to see a silver-haired man standing next to an elegant wall lamp rack. His eyes were light blue, and his clothes were neat. He was none other than Hvin Rambis!

This demigod was actually waiting in Viscount Glaint's residence for Audrey to complete the hypnosis and receive the answer!

At this mont, Xio and Fors probably hadn't walked out the main door.

This was completely outside Audrey's expectations and The Hanged Man's analysis. This ant that Hvin Rambis was present, so there was no need to question the target through Audrey. Being in the vicinity and personally hypnotizing them was just as dangerous!

-x-X-x-

How did this happen... Even if Xio and Fors didn't et with any delays en route and maintain a relatively fast speed, it would take at least fifteen minutes to arrive at the nearest Evernight cathedral... Luckily, I was cautious enough and had prayed to Mr. Fool for an angelic blessing ahead of ti. I also actually hypnotized Xio and Fors... An upheaval of thoughts instantly ran through her mind before she rapidly suppressed them.

At first, she looked confused, and then her face wore a look of realization. It was as if she had finally woken up from her long dream and rembered the things that had been neglected.

"Mr. Rambis, why are you here..." Audrey made her voice sound ethereal, as though she was still in a dreamy stupor.

As she spoke, she made use of the control of her emotions as a Psychiatrist to make an unavoidable hint of anxiety flash through her mind, doing so without causing any abnormalities.

This unexpected turn of events made her unsure of how to proceed.

Without a doubt, she understood that she had to first deal with Hvin Rambis's subsequent questions so that the demigod wouldn't suspect anything. However, if that was the case, he would leave in three to five minutes after he was done asking. As for Xio and Fors, they definitely wouldn't have entered an Evernight cathedral yet. This inhibited the step needed for the misdirection, and when the ti ca, igniting the hat accessory and summoning The World easily exposed flaws in the handling of matters in the end. They wouldn't be able to completely fix the inherent problems.

No, I'd rather miss this opportunity than proceed with the plan without being fully prepared... Patience, tolerance, and caution are key in the mysterious world... At the very least, Hvin Rambis will be making use of for a long period of ti and not directly harm . He wishes that I marry with so prince, and this process will take more than half a year. I still have plenty of ti. I can wait for the second, third, or even fourth or fifth opportunity... The only problem is that I need to inform Xio and Fors and get them to really hide as quickly as possible... Audrey quickly ca up with a decision as her eyes restored to normal while showing hints of wariness and fear.

After observing her reaction and hearing her question, Hvin Rambis smiled and said, "This should be your first ti hypnotizing soone, and I was worried that an accident would happen, so I specially ca here to wait. Heh Heh, given your background, you don't usually have the chance to do this..."

His voice was gentle and laced with concern. It made the wariness and fear in Audrey's eyes subside bit by bit.

But in Audrey's mind world, she once again felt her consciousness being split apart. So of them were raised, looking down at the "island" and the "sea."

This made her clearly realize that her fond feelings and sense of security that she had just felt were all artificial.

Seeing that Audrey had returned to normal, Hvin Rambis nodded and said, "How did they answer your question just now?"

Audrey honestly said, "Xio said that the investigation of Viscount Stratford and the pursuit of the king's secret was all of her own will. She was very suspicious about the death of her father. Her father was the forr captain of the royal guards, Earl Mason Dere...

"However, she ntioned that her actions were blessed by a certain existence."

As she answered, Audrey almost stopped talking. This was because her spirituality high in the sky was looking down at "herself1 on the island of consciousness and the spiritual sea. She saw a figure rising up from the bottom of the sea as it followed up steps that appeared, passing through the subconscious realm and landing on her Body of Heart and Mind's island.

The figure was wearing a black three-piece suit, with a head full of silver hair. It was another Hvin Rambis.

There wasn't a hint of a smile on Hvin Rambis's face. He had an extrely sinister air, and a part of his skin was covered in grayish-white scales. Not only did his eyes turn from pale blue to golden, they also turned vertical, looki^^ like a particular animal.

If it weren't for the fact that she had experienced sothing like this before, just the intense level of nervousness she currently felt might've prevented Audrey from acting as though she hadn't noticed anything while ensuring that she didn't stop speaking or end up stamring.

In the real world, Hvin Rambis smiled as he looked at Audrey's pretty face and asked further, "Which existence's blessings?"

Audrey shook her head as the island of consciousness began to change.

"When this matter was raised, Xio and Fors beca very resistant. There were signs of escaping the hypnosis, so I didn't dare continue asking." @@@@

Of course, the blessings of a particular existence could be explained as Mr. Fool's attention, and it could also be understood as the Goddess's... The lucid Audrey muttered silently under the spiritual sky.

Hvin Rambis continued to circle around the questions and asked about the details of the hypnosis.

After two or three minutes, he nodded satisfactorily and said, "Not bad. You do have a gift in hypnotizing people. When the recent events co to a close, I will give you the Dreamwalker potion and personally host the ritual for you.

"Oh yes, don't reject love and marriage too much. You're not even twenty years old, and it's the perfect ti to pursue such matters. Your charm is enough to gain everyone's affection and enjoy their attention..."

Hvin Rambis used an indirect hint and guidance to lower Audrey's resistance towards love and marriage.

This detestable guy... Audrey puffed up her cheeks under her spiritual sky and muttered resentfully. She then controlled herself to reveal so shyness and longing.

Hvin Rambis didn't expect to succeed by simply following a logical process. Seeing this, he retracted his invading consciousness and allowed himself to leave the island.

He turned around and said, "Forget what I just said. They're all spontaneous thoughts from your heart.

"After I leave this place and disappear from your sight, you'll forget that I was here."

Upon hearing this, Audrey under the spiritual sky couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief. This ant that Hvin Rambis was about to leave.

Even though it had only been five minutes since his appearance, making it insufficient for Xio and Fors to enter the nearest Evernight cathedral, Audrey was still eager for Hvin Rambis to leave as soon as possible. To face off a demigod of the Spectator domain was unimaginably stressful.

There's still a chance after this. As long as I maintain my consciousness, there will still be a chance. Audrey, don't be depressed, don't be impatient... Audrey silently consoled herself as she watched Hvin Rambis turn around and walk towards the hall.

She didn't relax and didn't breathe. She tried her best to maintain her normal state.

Suddenly, Hvin Rambis stopped in his tracks and turned around. He narrowed his pale blue eyes and looked at Audrey. "Why were you so scared when you first saw ?"

...I-I was too surprised at that ti, so I didn't manage to hide so of my emotions well? Audrey felt her scalp tingle under her long, blonde hair as her thoughts whirled quickly. She asked, puzzled, "Really?

"Isn't this normal? Soone suddenly appeared beside . A brief shock is inevitable."

Hvin Rambis nodded, as if agreeing with this explanation. He sized up Audrey and suddenly said, "You used to carry a mystical item that can change one's form with you as an accessory. Why didn't you wear it today?"

To a Spectator, this detail was an abnormality.

Oh no... I've been hiding Lie beneath my clothes most of the ti. How did he notice that I wasn't wearing it this ti... He has secretly read so of my mories, mories that I didn't protect to appear normal... Faced with Hvin Rambis's question, Audrey felt her thoughts stagnant.

The reason why she wasn't wearing Lie was simple—she was afraid that this accessory would amplify her emotions, preventing her from being able to completely hide her true thoughts when facing a demigod from the Spectator pathway.

This ant that she had predicted that she would et Hvin Rambis today. This was sothing that shouldn't have happened under normal circumstances!

In the blink of an eye, Audrey grabbed onto an idea and smiled blankly.

"It will amplify my emotions and reduce the success rate of the hypnosis attempt. I removed it in advance to avoid any accidents."

Hvin Rambis nodded and said, "So that's the reason..."

Just as Audrey was feeling a little relaxed, this "Spectator" pathway's demigod suddenly narrowed his eyes.

"If it's just this matter, there's nothing worth suspecting. But compared to when you saw , the fear that slightly exceeded normal limits seems to imply sothing..."

As he said that, Hvin Rambis's light-blue eyes turned vertical and was quickly dyed with the color of gold.

The two golden vertical pupils clearly reflected Audrey's image in her rider's attire.

With a buzz, Audrey's thoughts beca extrely muddled. Only the "her" under the spiritual sky barely remained conscious.

The surface of the spiritual sea surrounding the island surged with waves, enveloping it.

At the sa ti, the sinister-looking Hvin Rambis returned to the island and stopped beneath the sea surface, allowing patches of grayish-white dragon scales to fly into the foundation of the island where most of a human's subconscious lay.

Audrey suddenly felt her thoughts twist, prompting her to say everything, confessing all her secrets.

Relying on the lucidity of "herself under the spiritual sky, she barely controlled herself and didn't reveal anything. She also knew that there would definitely be problems if this continued, so she quickly diverted so of her thoughts and, relying on the angelic blessing and her splintered consciousness, prevent Hvin Rambis from noticing it.

So of those thoughts included reaching her hand into her left pocket.

Just then, Hvin Rambis, who had invaded her mind world, looked increasingly sinister as he snorted.

"There really is a problem!"

If there wasn't a problem, Audrey would've started with the most important matters, revealing all her secrets and private matters one by one, instead of staying silent!

Likewise, since the manipulation attempt happened so quickly, Audrey didn't have the ti to sort out all her secrets. Even if she wanted to hide anything, her lucidity would be discovered the mont she spoke.

After confirming that sothing was off, Hvin Rambis didn't hesitate any longer. His gaze turned extrely cold as grayish-white scales covered his skin.

The storm in the spiritual sea suddenly intensified, and Audrey, who was under the spiritual sky, staggered.

The last bastion of the defenses of her consciousness was rapidly weakening under the repeated attacks, putting it on the verge of shattering.

"Humph!" Hvin Rambis increased the force of the mind storm once again, feeling satisfied that Audrey's entire Island was shaking.

This ant that he was about to completely control her!

At this mont, he heard an ancient word:

"Fate!"

In the real world, Hvin Rambis looked up in surprise. All he saw was that Audrey's green eyes were dyed with the brightest, the most dazzling gold.

-x-X-x-

As the ancient Hers words resounded, the areas where Audrey and Hvin Rambis stood dimd.

It was as if soone had passed by, blocking the window that was closest to them, then quickly left.

By the ti the light returned, the island filled with a terrifying mind storm in the illusory world had transford from Audrey's to Hvin Rambis's. The person that had intruded on the other party's Body of Heart and Mind went from Hvin Rambis to Audrey.

Fate Siphon charm!

This was made using a Worm of Ti as the material. Using The Fool's powers, this charm was created. It could siphon off a corresponding target's subsequent fate for a short period of ti, exchanging the corresponding fate with the user!

It was the consultation fee Audrey had received from Gehrman Sparrow after she treated Hazel's ntal breakdown. With the corresponding charm, she could divert her future of having her consciousness defenses broken and losing control over her thoughts to Hvin Rambis. She then siphoned off the Mind Storm from him and opened her target's door to the Body of Heart and Mind. She then directly altered and planted the corresponding consciousness's fate.

In an instant, the situation reversed. Audrey went from the edge of collapse to gaining the absolute advantage.

Of course, this advantage could only last for a short period of ti.

Frankly speaking, if it weren't for her imagining how she could save herself in a desperate situation, Audrey definitely wouldn't have thought of using the Fate Siphon charm. Or it could be said that, by the ti she thought of it, it would be too late. At this mont, just like how she had practiced it countless tis in her mind, she suppressed her surprised emotions from the effects of the Fate Siphon charm and quickly confird her condition. With her current advantage, she made the Hypnosis and Mind Storm swirl together, instantly opening Hvin Rambis's door to his Body of Heart and Mind.

Hvin Rambis was instantly dumbfounded, as if he was an ordinary person whose attention had been diverted to Audrey's golden eyes and thus fall under her hypnosis.

Yes, at this mont, as a demigod of the Spectator Pathway, he had been controlled by Audrey, who was only a Sequence 6.

This way, even if the effects of the Fate Siphon charm ca to an end, it wouldn't change the developnt in the real world!

However, Audrey knew that, with the help of the magical charm, she was using Hvin Rambis's powers to open the door to his Body of Heart and Mind and achieve initial control. Whatever she wanted to do later would definitely be rejected by him, and with her Sequence level, she had no ans to resist or control such intense power.

Furthermore, she could clearly sense that Hvin Rambis was subconsciously resisting his current state. In the real world, a small amount of gray scales began to appear on his

face.

In no ti, he would be able to forcefully extricate himself from the state of my initial control over his mind... A realization flashed across Audrey's mind.

She then cast her gaze towards Hvin Rambis's head, feeling a little regretful that she didn't carry a powerful revolver with her. Otherwise, she could take this opportunity to shoot at him several tis in a row in an attempt to kill him.

Soon, she recalled that she had Dragon Scales. She believed that Hvin Rambis definitely had it, and that it was even stronger. It wasn't sothing an ordinary attack could tear through, even most mystical items that were at the Mid- or Low-Sequences couldn't do so!

And if she couldn't kill him in one shot, Hvin Rambis would definitely be able to use this opportunity to regain consciousness and escape her control.

Without any hesitation, Audrey, who lacked the appropriate offensive abilities, quickly ca to a decision:

Hypnotize him!

He's best at hypnotizing and is very resistant against this, so he wouldn't prepare any additional items that can affect his defense... I can't let him do things that will be against his will. With our difference in levels, I definitely can't resist the corresponding subconscious resistance he puts up... Thoughts ran through Audrey's mind as she spread her slightly parched lips.

She tried hard not to show any signs of abnormality as she looked into Hvin Rambis's eyes and said in a gentle voice, "Find a spot inside Glaint's mansion and wait. Find in the garden 15 minutes later..."

Such a subconscious thought didn't stir any obvious signs of being rejected; therefore, Audrey was able to complete her control rather smoothly. To Hvin Rambis, he was indeed looking for Audrey today, and the venue for the eting was also Viscount Glaint's mansion. Audrey's hypnosis was simply changing the corresponding ti and place, and the discrepancies were just in a very small aspect. It matched Hvin Rambis's thoughts and didn't waste too much of his effort; therefore, she didn't encounter any intense resistance.

"Alright..." Hvin Rambis responded to Audrey's words.

Audrey didn't care to let out a sigh of relief. She focused and continued looking into the other party's eyes. She gently said, "You will only co looking for in fifteen minutes, so you haven't seen today.

"Since you haven't seen , everything that happened just now definitely didn't happen. They will be forgotten."

As Hvin Rambis had accepted the hypnosis, he followed the logical train of thought. Although there was resistance, it wasn't anything intense. Soon, the golden light disappeared from those alluring eyes.

"Yes, I haven't seen you before. Nothing happened just now..." Hvin Rambis repeated with a blank expression. The grayish-white scales on the surface of his skin had increased significantly again.

After completing this crucial step, Audrey resisted the urge to pat her chest and thought for a second.

"When you hear my singing, it will beco quiet."

She wanted to hypnotize him with her charm, but she realized that she wasn't able to take on a seductive pose, and she couldn't make the corresponding expressions. She could only lift her hand to comb her blonde hair and tilt her head. The ripples in her eyes swirled as her smile bead.

Following that, she humd a lody, Manor Under the Moon-in a nasal voice.

Hvin Rambis looked at the girl in front of him who looked as beautiful as sunlight, flowers, and gems. Listening to the ethereal voice, his mind gradually turned silent, as he no longer had any resistance.

Seeing that her initial control was about to be released, Audrey didn't hesitate and pointed to the other side of the corridor.

"Go over there, and you will regain consciousness and dispel Dragon Scales when you see the stained glass."

She knew very well that on the other side of the corridor, there were exquisite white stained glass.

This order didn't pose any danger, nor did it violate Hvin Rambis's will. He imdiately took a step forward, walked down the corridor, and turned right.

Only when his back disappeared from her sights did Audrey slowly exhale, allowing the fear, alarm, and anxiety to surge into her heart.

Her body trembled slightly as she opened her mouth slightly. She couldn't help but gasp and exhale.

Ten seconds later, Audrey used Placate on herself and cald herself down.

Then, she glanced at the wall clock and stood there, raising her hands and placing them in front of her mouth and nose, reciting Mr. Fool's honorific na in a low voice.

She prayed for an angelic blessing again and requested this great existence to tell The World Gehrman Sparrow that she had confird when Hvin Rambis would arrive and would summon him two minutes ahead of ti, allowing him to arrive at the appropriate mont. There was no need to be in a rush or to be too close to prevent Hvin Rambis from being aware of an ambush.

During this process, Audrey only briefly ntioned what had happened. She didn't elaborate on it to prevent wasting any ti.

Following that, she raised her hands and pressed her cheeks, completely restoring her expression to normal. She began hypnotizing herself, allowing herself to sing the lody the mont she saw Hvin Rambis.

After doing all of this, Audrey went to the main hall and first found the golden retriever, Susie. She then retrieved the Lie necklace and the Alcohol Nesis diamond brooch. The latter, which could resist any ntal influence, could only be worn for half an hour; otherwise, the damage one's liver and brain suffered would be irreversible. Therefore, Audrey prepared to wear them again after she left Glaint's residence to prevent Hvin Rambis from finding her midway.

Susie didn't notice anything amiss with Audrey as she watched her wear the brooch and necklace.

After a few minutes, Audrey folded a black fishnet glove into her equestrian pocket and used the excuse of going to the washroom, making a detour to Viscount Glaint's garden.

Then, she looked at the large clock hung up on the attached tower, her mind tensing up as she morized the ti.

To her, she was afraid that Hvin Rambis wouldn't co, but she was also worried that he might co early or be late.

Ti passed by slowly and Audrey used Placate twice to calm herself down.

When there was still two minutes and fifteen seconds left, she took off the feather accessory on her hat and flicked her wrist.

The scarlet flas soared, igniting the white feather.

This was Lie's Fla Controlling ability.

As the flas burned, they turned pale. In just two or three seconds, the feather which was a product of Artificial Death was reduced to ashes.

Nothing happened around her.

Looking at the clock, Audrey took out a charm made of tin and recited a word in ancient Hers:

"Lightning!"

The charm lit up as though many tiny electric snakes were entangling with it.

It was a charm that summoned Gehrman Sparrow. @@@@

When the lightning dissipated, the charm completely disintegrated and lted into the void. However, there was still silence without so much as a sound.

Xio and Fors should've found a Church of Evernight cathedral and begun praying... Audrey cald down and pretended to enjoy the flowers of the remaining autumn days.

She didn't lift her head to look at the large clock, counting the ti in her heart.

Three, two, one... She slowly raised her head and looked around, but she didn't see Hvin Rambis.

He discovered sothing strange and distanced himself from this place? Audrey's heart tightened as she couldn't help but think back to what she had missed.

At that mont, she heard a gentle voice:

"What are you looking for?"

Audrey's pupils dilated. From the corner of her eye, she realized that the silver-haired, blue-eyed Hvin Rambis had appeared beside her at so point in ti, a hint of suspicion hidden in his voice.

Having already hypnotized herself, she didn't hesitate at all. She followed her subconscious and started humming the lodic "Manor Under the Moon."

Amidst the ethereal voice, Hvin Rambis cald down and listened attentively.

Suddenly, he realized that the distance between him and Audrey had beco very far despite them remaining in their respective spots.

The dark night enveloped the garden despite it being late in the afternoon. A huge crimson moon rose over the top of the building as a figure stood there, wearing a black trench coat and a half top hat. His face looked hazy due to the back lighting.

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Upon seeing this scene, Hvin Rambis imdiately extricated himself from that state of calm, clearly aware that he had fallen into a trap. He also further realized that he was already under so sort of influence.

Without any hesitation, he arched his back and his body swelled.

His pupils turned vertical, turning from pale blue to golden. His face, the back of his hand, and every inch of his exposed skin grew grayish-white scales.

Amidst the screeching sound, the white shirt, black vest, formal coat, and straight trousers that he wore tore apart, revealing the dragon scales beneath.

In the blink of an eye, Hvin Rambis had transford into an abnormally massive monster. Aside from his head that remained in the form of a human, the rest of his body had changed completely. It was like a dragon that had yet to fully evolve.

The dragon's back was covered in gray-skinned wings, and its limbs were thick. The grayish-white scales were engraved with complicated, three-dinsional mysterious symbols. They extended into the flesh, extending into the surrounding void. It seed to be a sh of objects that didn't belong to the real world. It threw anyone who laid their eyes upon it into suffering a form of ntal confusion as their thoughts warped. Even one's Spirit Body would be tainted with all kinds of thoughts that ca from deep within one's heart, eager to rip apart and mutilate themselves.

This was the Spectator pathway's incomplete Mythical Creature form!

For demigods of other pathways—those who weren't at the angel level—they required imnse willpower and firm beliefs to fight in their Mythical Creature forms. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to control the madness and the inclination of losing control. There was a high chance of them imdiately losing all rationality and transforming into a monster. However, the Spectator pathway was different. They had Placate which could treat their minds and souls, so they weren't helpless towards the madness and inclination of losing control. Therefore, as long as the fight wasn't prolonged, they could use their Mythical Creature form and return to normal at will.

Whoosh!

All the thoughts in Hvin Rambis's subconscious domain boiled over as they churned, identifying the parts of his consciousness that had been altered, purging them out and lting them down into nothingness.

Whoosh!

The violent winds surged around Hvin Rambis's grayish-white dragon avatar. It seed to co from reality, but also seed to co from an illusory world.

They carried a certain will as they whirled in every direction. Any creature that was embroiled would inevitably be placed into various abnormal states, stand rooted to the ground in a daze, or blindly escape towards the corners of the garden. There would be varying degrees of losing of control as their knees would buckle before they slumped to the ground. So would even faint imdiately and fall into a coma. Others would reveal their most fervent expressions, crowding around the dragon-like attendants.

This was a qualitative change in "Dragon Might" which stemd from a Mythical Creature form. It went from its original state of placing others in a state of "Awe" to "Mind Deprivation" with even more effects!

Seizing the mont when Dragon Might swept the surroundings, Hvin Rambis focused and transford into illusory, sinister versions of himself. Through the sea of collective subconscious which eluded most Beyonders, he approached Gehrman Sparrow on the rooftop and Audrey Hall by the garden's periphery at high speeds.

As a Spectator, he could tell that the attacker was Gehrman Sparrow just by seeing his face and temperant!

At this mont, Audrey was mumbling to herself and compelling herself based on the discussions and warnings from the two demigods, The World and The Hermit, above the gray fog.

"I can't see anything. I can't hear anything…

"I can't see anything. I can't hear anything…" @@@@

She was trying to avoid losing control from looking directly at Hvin Rambis's Mythical Creature form.

However, this also made her unable to "see" or sense that a particular illusory, sinister version of Hvin Rambis was approaching her Body of Heart and Mind from the sea of collective subconscious.

But suddenly, before Hvin Rambis's "eyes," the blonde, green-eyed girl's island of consciousness disappeared.

Audrey felt a warmth from her body, as if she had returned from a cold, dark cave to the surface where the sun shined.

She hurriedly dispelled the hypnosis and opened her eyes. The sun in the sky pierced through the clouds that couldn't be considered thin, scattering its resplendence. Bathed in the bright golden glow, autumn flowers blood in silence. Everything was beautiful and peaceful.

Audrey looked around blankly, but she didn't see Hvin Rambis, Gehrman Sparrow, or the huge crimson moon.

This made her feel like everything that she had just experienced was just a dream.

What mighty powers… A battle between the two demigods might not even harm a single flower. Audrey silently muttered to herself before calmly leaving the garden, retreating to the corridor that connected the garden to the house.

She was afraid that her presence would affect Gehrman Sparrow's fight.

In the concealed world, one of Hvin Rambis's manifestations had also landed on Gehrman Sparrow's island of consciousness under the crimson moon.

Just as he was about to set foot on it and open the door to the Body of Heart and Mind and control Gehrman Sparrow's subconscious to make him do things against his own will, he realized that the illusory island that stood in the sea of collective subconscious was filled with a deathly silence—there were no stirring thoughts or the appearance of new thoughts. There was no way of influencing it.

Puppet! Marionette! Hvin Rambis instantly made a judgnt. Combined with the information he had obtained in the past, he had a better grasp of Gehrman Sparrow's abilities.

He wasn't shocked or depressed. Instead, he felt a sense of glee and confidence. This was because, for a demigod of the Spectator pathway, he could easily tell the difference between a marionette and the true body, greatly mitigating Gehrman Sparrow's strongest ability.

Besides, do you think a marionette can foil my mind invasion and control of one's consciousness? That sinister and illusory Hvin Rambis swept his golden vertical eyes and found a transparent passage on the marionette's island of consciousness. On the island of consciousness, it was the symbolic form of Spirit Body Threads in the mind world!

Right on the heels of that, Hvin Rambis's figure flashed, and he traced the transparent passageway and found another island of consciousness hidden in the distance. This was where the source of where the marionettes were controlled, which ant that it belonged to the actual body!

"Found you!"

Hvin Rambis snorted coldly as he conjured a terrifying mind storm in the sea of collective subconscious, allowing them to thrash about in Gehrman Sparrow's island of consciousness over and over again.

This caused the nearby "weather" to rapidly change, and the ability to perceive the surroundings via spirituality suffered intense interference. Hvin Rambis took the opportunity to get close to Gehrman Sparrow's island of consciousness, and he conjured a grayish-white staircase in an attempt to furtively invade his opponent's subconscious.

This was his usual style of fighting. One stayed in the light while the other stayed in the dark. While one attacked head-on, the other sneaked in. With these two angles of attack, it easily broke the target's ntal walls and allowed him to control his opponent's Body of Heart and Mind.

At the sa ti, as a dragon avatar, he flew up and spiraled in midair. It affected Gehrman Sparrow with its Dragon Might and Breath, complenting the battle at the consciousness level.

At this mont, from deep within the sea of collective subconscious, Hvin Rambis had silently invaded the Gehrman Sparrow's Body of Heart and Mind when all of a sudden, he saw a boundless grayish-white fog. All the sea of collective subconscious around and the islands had vanished.

Hvin Rambis's heart tightened as he hurriedly analyzed his psyche, suspecting that he was under an illusion.

However, no matter how he handled it, the grayish-white fog didn't change. Of course, there were no accidents or danger. It was as if it was just a simple background.

That was pretty suspicious.

Just as Hvin Rambis was preparing to stir a mind storm here, the grayish-white fog finally dissipated, revealing the island of consciousness from before that belonged to Gehrman Sparrow.

Hvin Rambis didn't have ti to hesitate. He quickly entered the corresponding subconscious and attempted to change his target's thoughts.

However, those thoughts were dyed with a bright light, a holy and majestic aura. It was unshakable and uninfluenced.

This… Hvin Rambis instinctively looked up and looked towards the sea of consciousness from the stone stairs that he conjured.

Other than the "island" itself, there was also a figure with twelve pairs of fiery wings, emitting golden light.

It looked like the projection of an angel's powers!

Since he was planning on dealing with a demigod from the Spectator pathway today, Klein had no doubt used Angel's Embrace on himself. With the Red Priest's level of importance, he directed the powers of the mysterious space above the gray fog, allowing him to temporarily be unaffected when facing an incomplete Mythical Creature form.

And the reason why he didn't show it directly was that he was experinting with Hvin Rambis.

As Hvin Rambis attempted to invade his island of consciousness, his marionette, Qonas Kilgor, distorted the target his enemy locked onto, changing it from Klein's Body of Heart and Mind to Klein's projection of the gray fog.

As a result, if Hvin Rambis found the island of consciousness in the grayish-white fog, it ant that there was a being of unknown origins sleeping in the mysterious space. This ant that Klein had to be wary ahead of ti. On the contrary, he could feel a little relaxed.

This was sothing he had long wanted to test but didn't dare attempt because it might be dangerous. Today, he finally had a chance to do so. After all, even if there were any consequences, Hvin Rambis would be the one dying and not him. It might even allow him to easily finish off a demigod.

Seeing that he was blessed by an angel and wasn't capable of breaking or infiltrating his opponent's Body of Heart and Mind in a short period of ti and exerting his consciousness on him, Hvin Rambis retreated without any hesitation. He left the area and returned to his mind world through the sea of collective subconscious.

Then, the massive dragon disappeared, disappearing into thin air, preventing Klein from even finding it via Spirit Body Threads.

Psychological Invisibility!

Hvin Rambis planned on using a psychological blind spot to hide in the dark. Then, using area-of-effect Beyonder powers like Mind Deprivation and Mind Storm to slowly weaken Gehrman Sparrow's angel-enhanced ntal walls, he would attempt using his own Sealed Artifact to attack.

As a demigod of the Spectator pathway, although his dragon form was powerful at lee combat, it still lacked the necessary, powerful offensive Beyonder powers. It had to be made up for through certain Sealed Artifacts.

At this mont, an illusory book appeared in front of the Gehrman Sparrow who could be either the marionette or his actual self. Following that, there was an ethereal voice: "I ca, I saw, I recorded."

Klein was using Lightning Storm which had been "Recorded" by the Creeping Hunger!

For sothing like Psychological Invisibility, it could be easily resolved with a full area-of-effect bombardnt!

It has to be said that, when dealing with a Beyonder with such a fighting style, the Storm pathway was a pretty good choice.

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