Lord of Mysteries 2: Circle of Inevitability

Within the raging inferno of Bansy Harbor, Lumian's smile gradually faded.

A blood-red bulge suddenly rose on his brow, the androgynous hues of his features rapidly fading.

The bulge then retracted, crawling and slithering across his forehead and face, finally descending slowly down his neck, shoulders, and arms, merging with the altered remnants of the Blood Emperor and the War Bishop boon powers through the black pinhole, still covered by the pallid skin from the Underworld Daoist's sealing.

The pinhole expanded slightly, the abysmal, lifeless darkness within seemingly brewing some kind of violent force.

Lumian exhaled slowly, then collected the purple-blue, porous crystal pillar, along with the purple feathers and iron bone crystals, and placed them in a mirror Inside the Traveler's Bag-a temporary sealing measure.

Plop. A raindrop fell on Lumian's hand, leaving a damp feeling.

One drop, two drops, three drops... the raindrops grew more and more numerous, rapidly turning into a downpour.

Influenced by the widespread burning and the residual powers of the Weather Warlock, the sky over Bansy Harbor and the surrounding sea had darkened, producing vast, gloomy clouds, the rain pouring down.

Lumian did not seek shelter or obstruct the rain, allowing it to soak his hood, his hair, his face, his clothes.

As it fell, the rain grew colder, congealing into ice crystals and snowflakes.

Thick, heavy snowflakes drifted over Bansy Harbor, blanketing the scorched earth, collapsed bricks, and other signs of destruction in a pristine white.

Lumian's body was covered in frost and icicles.

He finally composed himself-the help of the higher beings was not easily obtained, even if this was not something he had actively provoked, but brought about by the purple giant bird.

The ice fell away, Lumian's hood and black robe drying rapidly.

He pressed a hand to his chest, thanking Mr. Fool for his gaze, then turned his gaze to the sky.

Beyond the swirling snowflakes, Lumian saw the ever-ready-to-assist Madam Magician.

The renowned author's expression was rather complex, as if seeing her past self, forced to rapidly advance with the abundance of high-level ingredients.

However, she could pause and take an extended rest, later considering whether to ascend to Sequence 1, while Lumian could not-neither he nor the forces driving him here would allow him to stop.

Lumian nodded in greeting, then Teleported back to the luxurious villa in Trier.

Franca and Jenna were pacing in the living room, while Ludwig was enjoying a double-layer cream cake.

"Done?" Franca looked at Lumian, asking excitedly.

"An 'item' that can't reveal its complete Mythical Creature form is nothing to be afraid of. If it really uses its full power, I'll just call for help." Lumian said with a smile.

"Why didn't you just call for help in the first place?" Jenna couldn't understand.

Lumian thought for a moment and explained, "The higher the Sequence in the Hunter pathway, the more courage and boldness one needs. I skipped the Iron-blooded Knight and War Bishop Sequences, without the corresponding Beyonder characteristics to provide a boost. I can no longer retreat, and must face the difficulties, challenge myself.

"This may be the implicit, hidden ritual condition for me to advance to Weather Warlock, or an additional ritual."

Jenna suddenly understood. "For a normal advancement, it is unnecessary for a Beyonder progressing step-by-step along the Hunter pathway to Sequence 3-the previous Sequences have already provided the corresponding enhancements. But a Sequence 3 Demoness wanting to make the jump must not shy away, and be filled with courage?"

"It seems that to switch pathways at the higher Sequences, there are hidden conditions to some degree, stemming from the lack of previous Sequence elements..." Franca also realized.

Then, she asked Lumian with a smile, "Did you rely on the special qualities of the Bansy Harbor telegraph office to defeat that purple phoenix, or rather, the purple giant bird?"

"You figured it out?" Lumian raised an eyebrow at Franca.

Franca chuckled and explained, "What other abilities and items of yours do we not know about?

"A simple analysis can lead to one conclusion: Relying on the Post-Apocalyptic Scripture and the Demoness's traits can only delay things, hoping the purple giant bird would acknowledge your strength, but victory is unlikely. Yet the way you acted clearly showed you achieved the final win.

"Unable to do it alone, yet you didn't call for help, so you must have utilized the environmental conditions."

"You do have some talent when it comes to combat." Lumian smiled, praising her.

He summarized the key points of the battle, the core idea being to, with the target unable to reveal its complete Mythical Creature form, leverage the Demoness pathway's self-preservation abilities to guide the opponent to attack the Bansy Harbor telegraph office as much as possible, while delaying until the anomaly was triggered.

Jenna listened quietly, then asked, "So the core supplementary ingredients are in place-are you planning to advance soon?"

Lumian's Unaging potion had been completely digested in just a short time, thanks to Aurore's special trait.

"Why not?" Lumian understood Jenna's and Franca's concerns, smiling as he said, "Setting aside the matter of reviving Aurore, do you think if I hold back and don't ascend, Alista Tudor's preparations won't erupt? With the apocalypse looming and the situation becoming chaotic, when Mr. Fool and the other true gods are preoccupied, they may seize the opportunity to forcibly help me ascend.

"I have no choice but to advance!"

Lumian's gaze swept over Franca and Jenna, pausing as he continued, "Since that's the case, it's better to take advantage of the relatively stable situation now, while Mr. Fool's awakening has deepened a bit, and advance without external interference.

"With the status and power of an Angel, even if I encounter Alista Tudor's arrangements in the future. I'll at least be able to struggle a bit, buying more time, and perhaps help will arrive."

Franca and Jenna were only expressing their own concerns, not trying to prevent Lumian from becoming an Angel.

Seeing that Lumian had thought it through thoroughly, his analysis of the pros and cons sound, they both nodded, urging Lumian to prepare the ritual and pray to Mr. Fool, asking this great being to help shatter the Beyonder characteristic and remove Alista Tudor's imprint.

Although this might not have much impact on the subsequent arrangements of the Blood Emperor, it would at least reduce a hidden danger.

Lumian did not delay, busying himself in the specially prepared room for the ritual and prayer to Mr. Fool.

After dripping the oil and offering the appeasing sacrament, the purple crystal pillar placed on the altar was suddenly enveloped by the murky darkness emerging from the candle flame, rapidly disintegrating into points of light in various colors-purple, blue, white, red.

These light points, as they settled and coalesced, released threads of frenzied aura, occasionally condensing into distorted faces or emitting terrifying roars, until finally dissipating.

The reconstituted purple crystal pillar appeared purer.

"Praise be to you, Mr. Fool!" Lumian pressed a hand to his chest, bowing.

After putting away the Weather Warlock Beyonder characteristic and dispelling the wall of spirituality, Franca asked concernedly.

"How do you plan to complete the ritual?"

"I have a clever plan," Lumian replied with a smile.

Jenna then asked curiously, "Based on the books you've been reading these past few months?"

Lumian scratched his face, chuckling self- deprecatingly, "That was my original plan, and I had corresponding arrangements. But after factoring in my own Beyonder abilities, I found that a Demoness of Unaging, who was once a Reaper, has a simpler and more effective handling method.

"Perhaps the truth of the Calamity pathways is that one must transfer back and forth, to get closer to the apex existences. So those who keep switching can take shortcuts when it comes to the ritual."

"What method?" Franca asked curiously.

Lumian chuckled. "I'll tell you after I succeed. If I say it now and then fail, won't you mock me forever?"

"Do you think you won't be mocked even like this?" Franca and Jenna chorused.

On this topic, the three exchanged playful banter for a while.

As the laughter faded, Jenna asked, "When will you perform the ritual?"

Lumian responded with a smile, "First, I need to gather the remaining ingredients. Then, I'll wait for a typhoon or hurricane."

The countries of the Northern Continent typically referred to such extreme weather as hurricanes, while the Intisians, influenced by Emperor Roselle, often called them typhoons.

… In a thunderstorm.

The residents staying indoors watched as a silver-white lightning bolt struck the treetops, knocking down the people taking shelter under the trees.

Boom, boom, boom. One lightning strike after another rampaged, even those in safe places shivering.

After a while, some residents saw a figure next to the charred, smoking trees.

The figure was cloaked in black, hooded, like the legendary witch.

She took a blackened tree branch, causing dark red drops of blood to fly out from the fallen corpses.

A witch indeed! The witnessing residents frightened, retreating from the window area.

…

In the southern part of the Haagenti Kingdom.

The first snowfall of the year came in an exaggerated fashion, killing many livestock and piling up snow in front of people's homes, blocking the doors.

The people inside, struggling against the bitter cold, suddenly saw a hooded figure in black robes, seemingly a witch, walking on the snow-blanketed ground, heading towards the bridge underpass.

There were several frozen-to-death vagrants there.

…

The heat-induced drought had left many humans dehydrated, some unfortunately dying, their bodies dragged to the street.

A tall, hooded woman dressed as a sorceress approached, stopping in front of a freshly deceased corpse.

The surrounding people fled in fear.

…

The Feynapotter Kingdom, on the Berserk Sea coast.

Many experienced fishermen and captains began returning their ships to the harbor.

The sky in the distance had somehow turned gloomy, the waves surging in.

The wind had picked up.

***

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