Chapter 66

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“Sequence Eight Instigator. They are adept at triggering the evil desires deep in people’s hearts. They excel at inciting strife and escalating conflicts, leading to tragedies drenched in blood...”

Klein frowned at the sparse description. From its wording, it seemed the Nighthawks did not fully grasp the capabilities of this potion—yet it matched the characteristics of theAlfalfatragedy.

Klein cast his gaze upward and read the Sequence Nine entry for the Instigator Sequence.

“Sequence Nine Assassin. Can briefly transform their bodies to become light as a feather. They possess vision as sharp as an eagle’s, as well as night vision. Every Assassin is adept at hiding in the shadows. They move with exceptional dexterity and can condense all their power into a single devastating blow...”

After reading the description, Klein was left deeply confused.

Assassin... The next order up from Assassin is Instigator?

This advancement was as odd as a Seer advancing to a class that specializes in strategic combat. Some Sequence pathways progressed in a very orderly fashion, which seemed entirely normal—such as the Spectator pathway. Yet others appeared to defy intuition and logic.

Perhaps I simply haven't discovered some of the hidden connections yet... For instance, both Assassins and Instigators have the potential to bring ruin upon others... But I still cant figure out the advancement of a Seer! Could it be similar to old man Gandalf's lineage? After adding some supplementary magic, do all the other attribute points all get piled onto strength and techniques?

Klein shook his head as he struggled internally. He flipped to the section on the Theosophy Order, the secret organization connected to the Instigators.

“Theosophy Order. A secret organization that emerged in the Fifth Epoch—the early period of the current epoch. They believe that the mind is the fundamental essence of a person, while the physical flesh is merely a cage that restrains the mind. In their view, human evil stems from the influence of the body. To gain knowledge, one must harness spirituality, gradually liberating the mind from its physical constraints. Through numerous trials of the astral body, a person is eventually released from the material world, returning to their purest, truest self, and thus attaining eternal redemption.

“Consequently, many extremist members of the Theosophy Order make it their goal to destroy the bodies of others—a path that has led to many bloody massacres. It is evident that they possess two Sequence pathways. The first includes the Apprentice and Trickmaster potions commonly seen among their members. The second Sequence, which comprises Assassin and Instigator, appears only rarely. There is currently no evidence that the Theosophy Order possesses potions in Sequence Seven or higher.

“It is unknown how the Theosophy Order was established. Their origins can only be inferred from the two Sequence pathways. Firstly, the potion names ‘Apprentice’ and ‘Trickmaster’ readily evoke the Abraham family of the Tudor Dynasty in the Fourth Epoch. The Tamara family, closely tied to the Abraham family through long-term intermarriage, cannot be discounted either. Secondly, both Assassin and Instigator point unmistakably to the Demoness Sect.”

The Abraham, Tamara, Antigonus, and Zaratul families; the Solomon Empire's Black Emperor; the Tudor Dynasty's Blood Emperor; the Trunsoest Empire; and the Jacob and Amon families that The Hanged Man bad mentioned—all these names were shrouded in the secrets of the Fourth Epoch. And perhaps there were many hidden truths, too.

Klein was astounded by what he read. He felt a deep appreciation for the shroud of mystery surrounding the history of the Fourth Epoch. The mere outlines he could glimpse through the fog left him shuddering involuntarily. It was as though he could envision a thriving era of extraordinary power, an epoch where blood tangled with the bizarre, and horror bloomed in symphony with the perverse.

Klein drew in a silent breath and flipped through the book again but did not discover any corresponding descriptions of the Demoness Sect.

He looked up and saw Old Neil fiddling with some filter paper for his hand-ground coffee. He asked sincerely, “Mr. Neil, what organization is the Demoness Sect? I can’t find any introduction about them in the documents.”

Old Neil was in no hurry to respond. After he finished wrestling with his coffee, he chuckled and said, “Your security clearance isn’t high enough. Even with Dunn’s permission, you wouldn’t be able to access that information. In fact, much of it is only available in the Holy Cathedral—not stored behind Tingen’s Chanis Gate. Perhaps one day, when you become a captain of the Nighthawks, you’ll be sent to the Holy Cathedral for training, and only then will you have access.” He continued, “I don’t know very much about the Demoness Sect, either. All I know is that they worship the Primordial Demoness. They believe that this secret entity is the true inheritor of the Creator—that she was born out of Chaos, the Original One birthed from the Creator’s body, and, ultimately, the Final One who will end everything.

“Their Sequence pathways are connected to this belief. To obtain the favor of the Primordial Demoness and to approach this secret entity, the upper echelons of the sect are all female. That’s why they’re called the Demoness Sect. Anything further is beyond the knowledge of someone at my level. I’ve heard that the demonesses make it their mission to spread catastrophes.”

Spread catastrophes...? This does match the hidden commonality of Assassin and Instigator... But this Mr. Tris's future seems bleak. The subsequent potions in the Sequence will probably be more suited for women...

Klein nodded slightly and resumed reading.

Once he had gone through all the materials, he realized there were more secret organizations than he had imagined. On reflection, that was only natural—this was a world with thousands of years of history, and there was once an era when extraordinary powers were extremely active.

According to the documents, Klein sorted the secret organizations into three categories based on their eras.

First were the ancient organizations born in the Fourth Epoch, including but not limited to the Ascetic Order of Moss, the Secret Order, the Blood Sanctify Sect, which worshipped the devil, and the Demoness Sect, which the text only referenced once.

The second was the secret organizations born early in the Fifth Epoch, the present epoch. For instance, the Theosophy Order, the death-worshiping Numinous Episcopate, the Life School, which focused on a master-apprentice lineage, and the Rose School, known among Beyonders for its bloody sacrifices.

The third category was new organizations that had only reared their heads in the recent century or two. They included the Aurora Order, the Order of the Red-Blooded Cross, the Element Dawn, and the Psychology Alchemists, which Klein had long heard about.

There were also other smaller organizations that didn’t play major roles.

“Benson and Melissa can’t have imagined how dangerous this world is... It’s not only limited to wars...” Klein shook his head with a wry smile. He stacked the classified documents neatly before pushing them to Old Neil.

Inside, Klein added silently,Hopefully, my little Tarot Club never gets on this list...

Old Neil, oblivious to the fact that a leader of a secret organization was sitting right across from him, smiled amiably as he took the documents back behind Chanis Gate.

Klein sat there and wondered if he should divine the location of Instigator Tris. But he abandoned the thought after no more than twenty seconds. After all, he only had a vague idea of Tris’s appearance and wasn’t even sure if the name was genuine. If he could pinpoint his location with such scant information, he wouldn’t be a Seer—he’d be a prophet!

By the time Old Neil returned, Klein had reined in his thoughts and continued studying mysticism, eager to learn even more “templates” of ritualistic magic. He spent the entire day studying and practicing. Although he did not participate in the joint operation to capture Instigator Tris, he did hear that the delivery of Sealed Artifact 2-049 from Backlund had been delayed due to an extenuating circumstance; the actual arrival time was still pending.

Having earned nearly two soli from yesterday’s divination, Klein spent ten pence to buy a two-liter keg of Enmat Beer for Benson on the way home, as well as some freshly baked lemon cakes for Melissa.

“Klein, I know you care for us deeply, but there’s really no need for this. You don’t have to keep spending money on such things,” Benson remarked after seeing the tiny keg of beer.

Melissa stood beside him, bobbing her head in silent agreement.

This is probably where our purchasing habits differ...

Klein sighed in amusement. “Benson, Melissa, don’t worry. This was bought with my additional subsidy. I earn an extra two to four soli every week.”

It's not like I can tell you that I get some money on the side from providing divinations for people..., he added inwardly.

“...This job of yours is much better than I imagined,” Benson commented, a bit taken aback.

That's right. I can even learn divination on the job...,Klein mused silently before turning toward the kitchen.

With the combined efforts of the trio of siblings, a sumptuous dinner was soon laid out on the table.

After eating to their hearts’ content, Klein, Benson, and Melissa sat slumped in the parlor. It took them quite a while before they finally rose to clean up, chat idly, and study.

When Benson and Melissa go to sleep, I'll venture above the gray fog to see the effects of the ritual..., Klein thought as he reviewed his history textbooks and shot a glance at his siblings.

...

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At the bottom of Ironcross Street, Westside of Tingen, a three-storied apartment building lay immersed in darkness. There were no streetlamps or any additional light.

Suddenly, a figure leaped from a window on the third floor. He fluttered gently to the ground like a feather, without causing a stir, and landed. Then, with a twist of his body, he vanished—blending into the shadows until only a faint outline remained.

He traveled quickly, arriving at the dock where he approached a deserted corner piled with goods. Carefully surveying the surroundings and circling the area twice, he finally left the darkness and stepped into the corner. There, his round, friendly face was revealed. He was Instigator Tris—the very man who had single-handedly caused the atrocity on theAlfalfa.

“How does it feel?” a mysterious figure wearing a black hooded robe emerged from the shadows. The voice was distinctly feminine.

Tris revealed a genial, satisfied smile. “Feels great. That scene was exactly what I’d dreamed and yearned for. I believe I have appropriately completed the mission and properly prepared for advancement.”

The dark-robed woman nodded imperceptibly and said, “Very well. According to our promise, I will give you the Sequence Seven formula and the three main ingredients. You will have to gather the rest yourself.”

“No problem,” Tris answered as if expecting this.

The mysterious woman reached out and handed him a book-like object. Its ancient, mottled bronze exterior was bound by a strange star-shaped lock. Tris knew that in this “book” lay the formula and ingredients, and he couldn’t hide the excitement swelling in his heart. Struggling to compose himself, he looked curiously at the potion’s name inscribed on the bronze cover.

“Witch!” Tris exclaimed aloud. He couldn’t believe that the ancient Hermes word was written on it.

Witch? I'm about to advance and become a Witch? This must be a joke!

The mysterious woman covered her mouth and giggled quietly. After a pause, she answered, “Weren’t you always curious? Curious as to why the higher ranks are all female? Well, here’s the answer.”