Chapter 65

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With paperwork bearing Dunn’s signature in hand, Klein went underground to the armory. “Dunn is right. It’s time you learned about the different Beyonders and the various secret organizations.” Dressed in his traditional black robe, Old Neil wasn’t at all surprised when he saw the signed slip; instead, he sincerely agreed with the captain. He added with a grin, “After all, you will be heading to the black market with me tomorrow evening.”

“Tomorrow evening?” Klein asked, unable to conceal his pleasant surprise.

Old Neil nodded with a hint of lament, “I’m a person who can’t sleep with an unpaid debt. I always wish to settle them as soon as I can.

You didn’t act like this before... You left it to the last moment before using ritualistic magic to solve the problem... It seems I’m not the only one suffering from procrastination... Wait, do you really need to say that when you’re just afraid to spend the money meant to repay a debt?

But Klein didn’t expose Old Neil. Instead, he had a request for him. “Mr. Neil, I’ll trouble you to retrieve the corresponding information from inside Chanis Gate.”

The archive primarily housed archaeological and historical documents, along with some basic information on Beyonders and secret organizations. Old Neil slowly sipped his hand-ground coffee and smacked his lips. Only then did he leave the armory with the signed and stamped paperwork, leaving Klein to keep watch on his behalf.

After more than ten minutes, Old Neil returned with a huge stack of documents. “You can only read these here. They are not to be taken out,” he warned as he placed the stack on the table.

“All right,” Klein said firmly. He reached out and quickly flipped through the pages, skimming over the detailed records.As expected of the Nighthawks' internal documents—produced by a church with over four thousand years of history or more,Klein thought with a sigh.

The documents contained not only introductions to various secret organizations but also lists of many Sequence pathways. Some pathways were complete, some merely included the Sequence’s potion names, while others only described the abilities of certain ranks within a Sequence. Then there were those that were entirely blank.

Suppressing his excitement, Klein began searching for the Sequence pathway that began with the Seer. Ruffling through the pages, he soon recognized a familiar term. Then his delighted expression froze. There were no corresponding potion names for either Sequence SevenorSequence Eight!

Thankfully, the documents did contain the abilities of these two ranks. Klein silently exhaled as he calmed his mind and began reading the descriptions aloud:

“Sequence Eight, potion name unknown. The corresponding Beyonder is skilled in strategic combat and is very crafty.”

Skilled in strategic combat? That's the next level up from Seer? Why does it sound not quite right...? It's not like I'm a ranger class or anything... Or am I going to have to become a melee mage? And what does “crafty” mean? Does it imply that my enhanced intelligence makes me good at fooling the enemy?

Klein was stunned. He even suspected that the Nighthawks’ information might be wrong. There were some example cases appended at the end, but despite reading them repeatedly, he couldn’t find a reasonable explanation.

He shifted his gaze to the description of Sequence Seven.

“Potion name unknown. The corresponding Beyonder has mastered many enchantments that can be quickly cast by combining one’s own techniques with supernatural powers.”

Now that's more like it! That's exactly what a Seer's level-up should sound like!Klein heaved a sigh of relief.

After reading the example case of Sequence Seven, he ran his eyes over the summary of the Sequence pathway:

“This Sequence was first formed in the Solomon Empire’s Zaratul family. The clan was not completely exterminated during the conflicts of the Fourth Epoch. The family name is occasionally heard in the history of the Fifth Epoch... It is suspected to be connected to the ancient organization, the Secret Order.”

Zaratul?Upon reading that name, Klein’s eyes narrowed. He had just seen it in Emperor Roselle’s diary pages yesterday! Roselle’s tip about acting had come from a mysterious figure known as Zaratul!

Is this mysterious Zaratul the reason Emperor Roselle regretted not choosing Seer back then? It indirectly influenced me, so I became a Seer—bringing “acting” right back into a Seer's embrace... It's starting to feel a little like destiny.

Klein knitted his brows, sensing somethingdifferent.There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with this chain of logic. However, in the domain of mysticism, such feelings of destiny were often linked to deeper problems and usually a portent of something significant.

And when combined with the absurdness of transmigration itself... There seem to be more mysteries than ever... Not to mention, this guy I've possessed tried to commit suicide precisely due to the Secret Order's lost notebook...

Klein mulled over his thoughts at length, coming up with many hypotheses, but he lacked enough evidence to prove any of them.

Phew...After repeatedly reading this information, he finally suppressed his speculative ideas and began reading the other records.

He first found the Sequence containing the Sailor potion and discovered that it was indeed under the Lord of Storms.

For this old adversary they’d known for at least two or even three thousand years, the Nighthawks’ internal records were incredibly detailed.

“Sequence Eight Folk of Rage. Ancient name—Storm Guardians. The corresponding Beyonder can release strikes that far exceed normal thresholds when enraged. Both their strength and speed are greatly enhanced... To face them is akin to facing a violent storm...

“Sequence Seven Seafarer. Ancient name—Storm Preacher. The corresponding Beyonder is also a scholar of astronomy and geography. They possess an intuitive grasp of magnetic fields, ocean currents, wind direction, and cloud formations... A ship with a Seafarer will never get lost at sea... They are the more prestigious apostles of the sea. While on the ocean, they receive enhancements in every aspect...

“They are friends of the water. They can move freely beneath the surface for more than half an hour... To a certain extent, they’re able to cast a number of water-related spells. Some of these arise from their own mastery, and some are bestowals from the Lord of Storms, for example...”

A Sequence Seven Seafarer sure is very powerful...Klein nodded to himself in deep thought.

He suspected that The Hanged Man was either a Storm Guardian or a Seafarer. Given that he had recently advanced in his Sequence, it was more likely that he was the latter. This also suggested that The Hanged Man was either a member of the Mandated Punishers or a pirate secretly working for the Church of Storms.

Impressive. Impressive...

Klein flipped back a few pages and found the advancement details for Spectator. He discovered that the description was identical to what The Hanged Man had stated.

Sequence Nine Spectator was akin to a Seer. They lacked the means to confront their enemies directly, so they relied on the information obtained by observing a target to capture that person’s true thoughts and then subtly influenced and guided the situation toward their preferred outcome.

Sequence Eight Telepathist was merely an improvement on every aspect of Spectator. Their observations delved deeper, extending beyond superficial details into one’s aura, ether body, and other mystical domains. The combination of these skills allowed a Telepathist to capture a person’s thoughts as though reading their mind. It was nearly impossible to keep a secret in their presence.

Sequence Seven Psychiatrist, also known as Psyche Analyst, built further on the foundation of Sequence Eight. With these enhancements, a Psychiatrist could directly influence a target’s mind. For instance, they might help someone recover from mania or, conversely, induce manic episodes and cause a person to lose their grip on reality.

“A Beyonder who can’t be easily discovered...” Klein concluded after reading the description.

Once he finished reviewing the information on the members of the tarot gathering, he flipped to the section about the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery, since Emperor Roselle had chosen their Savant Sequence.

“Sequence Nine Savant. The corresponding Beyonder believes that knowledge is power. They possess a basic understanding of mysticism yet are far more knowledgeable about technical things, such as regal water, nitroglycerin, and the intricacies of bolts and gears. They seem to know everything.”

No wonder Emperor Roselle claimed that this potion suited him perfectly—it allowed him to capitalize on his advantages. Enlightened by this, Klein shifted his eyes downward. After several examples, he finally reached the description for Sequence Eight:

“Archaeologist. They possess extensive knowledge of history and outdoor survival, as well as forbidden lore concerning ruins. Their physical strength and innate abilities empower them in their pursuits...”

“Sequence Seven Appraiser. They can intuitively discern the potential and pitfalls of most extraordinary items, enabling them to harness such objects while minimizing risk...”

Due to insufficient security clearance, Klein could only access Sequence pathways up to Sequence Seven. This limitation left him somewhat frustrated. He only wished that Backlund would promptly send over Sealed Artifact 2-049 so he could verify whether Ryer Bieber was indeed a descendant of the Antigonus family.

That way, he’d have a chance to become a formal member and obtain a higher clearance.

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Collecting himself, Klein carefully read the material from cover to cover. He knew that the potions in the Sequence following the Corpse Collector were Gravedigger and Spirit Medium. He also noted that there was no information about Sequence Eight of the Mystery Pryer Sequence. Not only was there no potion name, but the description itself had been left blank. However, Sequence Seven of that Sequence did have a name: Warlock!

Sounds impressive...Klein slowly flipped the page and came upon the Apprentice and Marauder Sequences—records that Emperor Roselle had once regretted. Their documentation only extended to Sequence Eight.

“Sequence Nine Apprentice. Their abilities are rather odd. We know only that this is the origin of the mage Sequence. They are rarely trapped or stopped since they always seem to have a means to escape and overcome obstacles...”

“Sequence Eight Trickmaster. They wield all kinds of strange but relatively weak spells...”

“Sequence Nine Marauder. It is difficult to distinguish these Beyonders from ordinary robbers or thieves. Perhaps their methods are more impressive, but their goal of amassing riches is driven not by enjoyment or survival but by an almost fated calling...”

“Sequence Eight Swindler. We have discovered traces of Beyonders in cases of fraud. They derive pleasure from swindling...”

Deriving pleasure from swindling... Is this an instinctive, organic form of acting? If I had the choice, I might have selected Apprentice...,Klein mused silently. Then he discovered the corresponding Sequence potion of Tris—the culprit behind theAlfalfatragedy: Instigator.