Volume 7: The Hanged Man Chapter 83: “The Door”
After her prayers were not answered, Bernadette took the “Wishing Lamp” and went to the window of the captain’s cabin to look out over the deep blue sea.
She didn’t get impatient, didn’t try to use her “prophecy” ability, and waited patiently for things to unfold.
After several minutes, a grayish mist suddenly appeared in front of her eyes.
Immediately after, the mist was tinted with a golden color, as if coated with a layer of sticky syrup.
Bernadette immediately lowered her head and looked at the “Wishing Lamp” in her hand, only to see the wick of the pot burning on its own.
Above the gray fog, inside the ancient palace, next to the seat of the “Fool”, the “prayer light” that swelled to the size of a human head was instantly occupied by a distorted and blurred light gold figure.
This figure’s gaze pierced through the “Prayer Point of Light”, penetrated the gray fog, and looked towards the “Worm Vortex” that was trying to destroy everything around it.
K’s voice immediately echoed inside the Source Castle, majestic and grand:
”It’s out of control?”
The tone of the “God of Lights” was clearly mocking, not caring whether the crazy “Spirit Worms” could understand it or not.
Right at this moment, above the “Fool” seat that had already fallen apart, a strange light gate made up of countless balls of light protruded out.
It appeared faintly, casting out radiance, and sketching out a complex symbol in midair.
This symbol originally existed behind the seat of the “Fool”, consisting of half of the “Pupil-less Eye” and half of the “Twisted Line”.
As the symbol took shape, the strange light became fainter and fainter, and eventually merged completely into the space.
In the next second, Klein’s voice came out from the symbol that represented the “Fool”:
”‘Lamp God’, I want to make a deal with you.”
The blurred and distorted pale gold figure burst out laughing:
”Haha, I told you that you would agree eventually.”
After laughing for a few seconds, the “Lamp God” calmed down and said:
”I was just thinking, how could I lose control so easily when I can become the new master of the ‘Source Castle’?”
”This is my preparation for the worst case scenario.” The voice within the “Fool” symbol was not at all impatient.
The “God of Lights” laughed twice and said:
”Aren’t you afraid I’ll temporarily raise the price?”
Klein’s voice responded without a hitch:
”This is just one of the preparations for me, but for you, it may be the only chance in many years.”
The pale gold figure of the “God of Lights” swayed a little as the wind blew through it, and the magnificent voice followed:
”My conditions are the same as last time, as long as you can lift the seal and let me out, I will return to the stars with the portion that belongs to me, leave the rest to you, and fulfill your three wishes.”
”Of course, from the way things are going, it looks like you’ll need an advance on my payment.”
Klein’s voice once again emanated from within that “Fool” symbol:
”The promise I give is to deliver this ‘Wishing Lamp’ to the stars before the end of this Era 1368, and as for how you get out of the trap after that, it’s up to you, while my request is even simpler, just two wishes.”
”That’s the deal I’m talking about, it’s up to you to decide whether or not to agree.”
The year 1368 was the year when the “Initial Barrier” disappeared, and was recognized by the prophets of this world as the “End of Days”.
The blurred and distorted pale gold figure was silent for several seconds before saying:
”If the seal is not lifted, I can only fulfill a limited number of wishes, and once it exceeds a certain level, it will be realized in a very twisted way.”
Kraven’s voice came out smoothly from within the “Fool” symbol cast by the glow:
”The two wishes I need can be fulfilled by you right now.”
Once again, the “God of Lights” was silent for a long time.
……
Byam, within that primeval forest.
Verdoux, whose mind was feverish for both internal and external reasons, didn’t waste any time and remodeled the altar according to the “God of War’s” instructions, inscribing it with the correct symbols, magical markings, and exotic patterns.
He was originally a little worried that the three demi-god level monsters would suddenly wake up, but by the time the ceremony was ready, the sacrifices were still unconscious and unable to put up any resistance.
After placing the writhing meatballs, monstrous starbirds, and black-eyed white crows in their correct positions, Verdoux looked towards the only candle on the altar and raised his hand to light it.
Then, he took a few steps back and chanted in the Giant’s language with unusual solemnity:
”Great Gate of Ten Thousand Gates;”
”The Leader of the Endless Stars;”
”The Key to all Mysterious Worlds.”
”I pray that You will answer and that You will come down to this world ……”
Before his words fell, three thumps sounded one after another within the altar.
It was as if the three demigod monsters corresponding to the “Trickster”, “Secret Mage”, and “Parasite” were pinched by an invisible hand, and with only a slight struggle, they directly burst apart and turned into a mass of blood that glittered with different colors of light. They directly exploded into a mass of flesh and blood that flickered with different colors of light.
These flesh and blood seemed to have their own vitality, and under the guidance of some unspeakable power, they gathered in midair, outlining one evil and filthy symbol after another.
The countless symbols combined together, slowly forming a gate that was still writhing like blood and flesh, over five meters tall.
The gate stood on the altar, and the interior was dark, leading to nowhere.
The flame of the candle representing Mr. Door surged up, illuminating the entire “door of flesh and blood” and the darkness.
In the midst of the darkness, there were balls of light condensed by one weak starlight after another, and at a closer look, they all looked like a strange insect with a bent body.
Those balls of light flew up quickly and formed a huge arm, an arm that was quite difficult to pass through the Gate of Flesh and Blood.
This obviously non-human arm was pressed against the altar and pushed out with such force that the entire “Flesh and Blood Gate”, even the entire forest and the entire island, shook, like an earthquake.
Verdoux watched this scene with delight, and then his vision suddenly blurred in half.
Snap!
Something fell from his face into the grass.
Verdoux subconsciously looked down, only to see an eyeball with bulging veins, rolling there.
Pop, pop, pop, his nose, his ear, that remaining eye of his along with the muscles of his body, one piece after another fell down, all permeated with some starbursts.
Plop!
His body fell down, his flesh and blood completely collapsing.
At this time, the arm finally squeezed through the “door of flesh and blood”, and began to try to pull out the subsequent parts.
Rumble!
In the illuminated darkness behind the door, one thick lightning bolt after another formed a storm and fell, but it was swallowed up by the blood-colored tide that suddenly emerged.
Finally, a huge figure made up of pure “balls of light” passed through the “door of flesh and blood”.
The next second, those “balls of light” began to collapse and cascade, as if they were about to undergo a reorganization that could produce a qualitative change, and one after another dark gap from the void appeared in the surrounding forest.
These gaps directly engulfed different parts of the trees, turning them into strange shapes.
At the same time, a hurricane of unknown origin blew out from the gaps, sweeping in all directions, and the entire Blue Mountain Island where Byam was located shook as if it was about to sink.
Inside the Church of the Waves, Alger Wilson, who was troubled by the fact that Verdoux had “teleported” out of the city and could not be monitored, suddenly heard the sound of one door after another opening.
Every door in the city, located in different parts of the city, opened on its own at this moment.
”This ……” Alger looked sideways inside the forest outside the city that seemed to be the source of the anomaly.
Clang!
The moment the door of the room was opened, Derek, who had long since awakened from the earthquake in New Silver City, frowned.
Clunk! Clunk! Clunk!
Everything that could be called a door within the cities of Berkland, Trier, and St. Milon opened.
……
Above the gray fog, inside the half-collapsed ancient palace, the crazy “worm vortex” instinctively attacked the light gold figure and the “Fool” symbol, but failed to succeed.
Nearly a minute passed, and the “God of Lights” suddenly laughed lowly:
”You are indeed not K, or else I would have already twisted the promise you just made, allowing the seal K set up to lift itself.”
”Only the original owner’s twisted words can achieve this effect? Is this the method you relied on last time to recognize that I was not the ‘Lord of Secrecy’?” Klein’s voice came out from within the “Fool” symbol.
”The God of Lights” heckled:
”For K, I have at least ten ways to identify.”
Without waiting for Klein to respond, the pale gold figure chuckled:
”It seems that you can’t maintain this state for too long, well, the deal is struck, after I fulfill your two wishes, before the end of this era 1368, you must send the ‘Wishing God Lamp’ to the starry sky.”
The voice of the “Lamp God” grew solemn, as if it was announcing a legal provision.
At this moment, K seemed to have established some kind of rule based on this deal, without worrying that Klein would renege in the future.
”If you fail to fulfill this promise, even if you have become the ‘Lord of Secrecy’, you will fall and split as a result.” The “God of Lights” admonished and opened his mouth to ask, “Name your two wishes, and be careful not to involve higher-level extraordinary characteristics or exceed the upper limit of my current abilities, or else the wishes will be granted in a twisted manner. This is a rule that has already been set, and the current me cannot violate it.”
Within the “Fool” symbol outlined by the glow, Klein’s voice came out calmly:
”First wish: to have the two wishes that Bernadette Gustave made earlier counted under my name. This should be simple enough for you.”
The “God of Lights” laughed instantly:
”As expected, you are trying to use the rule that bad things will happen to you if you wish for a third wish to fight against your current predicament, good, this is based on my own bit, I will satisfy you and let you die a painful death.”
Klein’s voice sounded again:
”Second wish: for my ‘utopia’ to be born in a corresponding area of the spirit world. This does not involve an elevation of the sequence, nor does it have anything to do with the extraordinary properties of the higher levels; surely you can do it.”
”The pale gold figure of the God of Lights shifted a bit and smiled:
”Your wish will be granted.”
……
Inside the Church of Bones.
Klein touched the bloodstained cross stake in his chest, seemingly contemplating how to get it out.
During this process, he casually asked Adam:
”You didn’t try to become a god in the Fourth Age because you didn’t get ‘0-08’?”
”That’s one factor, and more importantly, at that time, there were still many hidden dangers that hadn’t been resolved.” Adam gazed warmly at the huge cross in front of him.
Klein turned his head sideways and looked at this “Imagineer” and said:
”For example, at that time, the remaining will of the ‘original’ was still very strong ……”
Before the words left his mouth, a large amount of bright red blood suddenly flowed from the top of Klein’s head.
However, the corner of his mouth curled up slightly.