212 Avenger (2/2)
He wore a black two-button suit, and one of his eyes was obviously blind while the other one was so blue that it was almost black. His facial features were like carvings, and his face had no wrinkles at all.
The image shattered and Klein woke up from his dream. His eyebrows were tightly knitted. He found his murderer very familiar.
As a Seer, he quickly understood why he found the person familiar. It was because he had seen the man's photo on a wanted notice!
The murderer was Ince Zangwill! He was the former Archbishop of the Church of the Evernight Goddess who took Sealed Artifact 0-08. He had failed to advance as a Gatekeeper!
”It's him!” Countless images flashed through Klein's head, and they finally stopped on the scene when Ince Zangwill picked up Saint Selena's urn.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Klein extended his hands and rapped the edge of the long bronze table. He felt that he suddenly understood many things.
”The Captain said that a Beyonder that dies normally would leave behind a Beyonder characteristic. When gathered together, they're equivalent to a potion that lacks the supplementary ingredients.
”In other words, as long as one knows the corresponding supplementary ingredients, they can advance using ”remains”. Of course, one cannot consume beyond their level, as it would easily lead to a loss of control or going insane.
”Hmm… Becoming a High-Sequence Beyonder would require the accompaniment of some special ritual. That was mentioned in the incomplete Unshadowed formula… The subsequent advancements would require a ritual as well…
”Ince Zangwill is a Gatekeeper, a Sequence 5 from the Death Sequence pathway. He wanted to become a High-Sequence Beyonder, a Demigod. Based on the situation allowed by the exchanging of Sequences, he had three choices. One was obviously Sequence 4 in the Death Sequence pathway, second was Sequence 4 in the Sleepless Sequence pathway; and third was Sequence 4 in the God of Combat Sequence pathway, Demon Hunter.
”Saint Selena was a Saint. She was either Sequence 4 or Sequence 3. Her urn corresponds to one of the two Sequence potions… Ince Zangwill, who was a former Archbishop, definitely knew exactly which one she was, and he definitely knew the required supplementary ingredients…
”Was his true motive in planning all of this to get Saint Selena's ashes and advance to Sequence 4 in the Sleepless pathway?
”Hmm, the skull of Death's descendant, that might be an ingredient needed for the special ritual. It was from the Death Sequence pathway, after all.
”From the looks of it, his target was the Captain, and not me. He really was the mastermind behind all this…”
Having figured this out, Klein wrote down a corresponding divination statement. He took his pendulum and let the topaz hang above the surface of the paper.
After he recited the statement, he opened his eyes and saw the topaz pendant spinning clockwise.
It meant that the information he provided was sufficient, and the divination was successful!
It meant that Ince Zangwill had really plotted the series of events in order to get Saint Selena's ashes, to advance to Sequence 4!
Klein rapped on the edge of the table again as he mulled over a different question.
”Ince Zangwill was merely a Sequence 5 Gatekeeper. Relying on him alone, would make it impossible for him to create so many coincidences. For instance, for Megose to follow his ”arrangements” and visit the Nighthawks at the correct time.
”So, is it the power of Sealed Artifact 0-08?
”Its appearance is that of an ordinary quill… Its function is to write down events that are bound to happen?
”No, it couldn't be that easy… Otherwise, Ince Zangwill could write that Saint Selena's urn grew a pair of wings and flew into his hands. Then, he could've just waited at home…
”There must be certain restrictions…
”0-08 most likely doesn't possess direct combat ability. Otherwise, Ince Zangwill could've stormed through Chanis Gate in Tingen…
”As one of the most dangerous Sealed Artifacts, perhaps it can let people act according to its description without realizing it? That was the reason behind all the coincidences?
”If that's really true, then 0-08 is quite terrifying. Even Megose who was pregnant with the son of an evil god adhered to its arrangements… No wonder Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts are 'Extremely Dangerous.' They're of the highest importance and of the highest confidentiality. They're not to be inquired, disseminated, described, or spied…”
Klein stopped rapping the edge of the table. He divined his earlier guess, but, unfortunately, it failed due to a lack of information.
He saw that a few minutes had passed, and he planned to return to the real world as soon as possible. Hence, he didn't let his thoughts run wild but wrote down the penultimate divination statement.
”The city where Ince Zangwill currently is.”
Due to the existence of Sealed Artifact 0-08 and the fact that Ince Zangwill had likely become a Demigod, Klein couldn't divine his exact location directly. He could only make a rough inquiry of the general area.
Of course, if there wasn't a mysterious space like the world above the gray fog to eliminate disturbances, he would definitely fail in divination, even if it was a rough inquiry.
He leaned against the high-back chair and recited the divination statement seven times. He dreamed again and entered the blurry world.
The blurry world suddenly cracked, and there was a wide river which was slightly murky.
There was a grand bridge above the river. Both banks had ports lined one after another. There were many goods and many workers.
To the northeast of the river, there were rows upon rows of houses. Most of them had the Loen Kingdom's present-day architectural styles, such as polygenic roofs, oriel windows, and no verandah by the street. Other than that, there was a lot of Gothic architecture.
The streets were filled with people and carriages. From time to time, strange machinery could be seen.
The farther east he went, the more chimneys there were and the smokier it got. When he headed west, the elevation rose, and there were houses in grayish-blue, beige, and light yellow that spiraled up opulent castles and Gothic clock towers.
Gong!
The chime of a clock sounded and snapped Klein back to his senses. He knew which city he had seen.
The ”Land of Hope,” and the ”City of Cities,” Backlund!