The dignity of the messenger stunned Caine for a full five seconds before he recovered, bending to pick up the paper. "Even if Mr. Azkir, due to his memory loss, can't utilize most of his extraordinary abilities, merely dispatching this messenger should be sufficient to handle an Extraordinary of Sequence 7—or even Sequence 6," he thought, imagining the expression of astonishment and admiration on his own face. He didn't immediately unfold the letter but instead tucked it into his coat pocket, placing it alongside items like the "Sleeping Sigil." The carriage continued on, arriving at the street of Narcissus. As Caine stepped out of the carriage, he instinctively glanced at the driver, Ziser, who smiled warmly and looked calm and at ease, completely unaware of what had just transpired. With a subtle nod, Caine used his spiritual vision once more and returned to his own doorstep. He glanced at the balcony on the second floor and the water supply pipes, paused for several seconds, and decided to maintain his composure, making no attempt to climb. As for the garments stained with blood spots, he would take them to Black Thorns Security the following day, arranging for the police to deliver them to a designated laundry worker—thus avoiding startling the housemaid Bela and his sister Melissa. Before jumping out the window from the second floor, Caine had already quietly released the deadbolt at the main entrance. Now, taking advantage of the quiet of the night, he retrieved the key and opened the door with barely a sound, moving swiftly and smoothly inside. After closing and relocking the door, he breathed out slowly, stepped lightly, and returned to the second floor. Standing before the locked bedroom, Caine calmly drew out a Tarot card, inserted it into the gap in the door, and with a gentle push, effortlessly dismantled the special locking mechanism he had previously created. Then, he pushed the door open, removed his clothes, and finally relaxed completely. "It's like we're committing a crime..." Caine smiled, shook his head, and calmly reached for his revolver, placing it beneath the pillow. After tidying up, he lit the gas lamp, took out a sheet of paper, and sat at his desk, carefully reading: "I'm sorry it's only now that I'm writing back—I've been busy tracing my past, and I've been meeting with former teachers and classmates, staying late into the night. Upon reading your letter, I finally understand what has been happening to you lately. First, the police came to my hotel room by room for inspections, and then, at night, someone quietly went around—yes, I mean someone with extraordinary abilities." "...It was actually General Zilings, the 'Hurricane General' who frequently appears in novels and newspapers, who had infiltrated Beckett and caused significant casualties. I recall that he's not only wanted by our Kingdom of Luon, but also by the Fasak Empire, the Intis Republic, and the Kingdom of Feneport." So, how much is the reward? That was the thought that spontaneously came to Cline. He didn't get an answer, as Azk shifted to another topic: "Your description of the 'Shepherd's' abilities feels very familiar—like I've seen it or encountered it before, though I can't quite recall. It must be from one of my past lives. The difficulty in retrieving this memory is making me feel quite unsettled and troubled." Ah, Mr. Azk has a genuine interest in the 'Shepherd'—that provides a solid point of entry for my assistance. Indeed, it's not just a coincidence. It's inevitable! By inference, Azk had lived for over a thousand years and was likely a high-tier powerhouse. Therefore, during his earlier lives—across his successive existences—he must have witnessed numerous extraordinary abilities of various sequences, and certainly retained deep impressions of the more distinctive ones. In other words, not only would the "Shepherd" evoke a sense of familiarity with him, but so too would roles such as "The One Without Darkness," "The Hunter of Monsters," and "The Guardian." As long as a magical artifact corresponded to a specific sequence's ability, Azk would find it familiar and intriguing—something entirely plausible. Cain was initially puzzled, then suddenly enlightened, and his confidence grew steadily. He lowered his gaze and continued reading: "The sacrificial rite you inquired about—I recall it quite vividly, perhaps because it left a particularly strong impression. Maybe, in one of my lives—perhaps even in my very first life—I served as a priest." "I must remind you in advance, warn you, that when using the ritual of sacrifice, you must be exceptionally cautious—not to rely on the safety of malevolent deities or certain hidden entities whose conscience you might assume is good, for they themselves lack such a sense of responsibility." "Moreover, you must possess strong discernment, because the demonic gods will craft for themselves a series of seemingly harmless identities. In my view, you should never offer a sacrifice to beings about whom you are uncertain or indecisive, for otherwise, your own soul may become the offering." In plain terms, the demonic gods will wear masks, presenting themselves as trustworthy and approachable—much like in the digital world, where behind a seemingly sweet and charming account, there might actually be a rather awkward, unpolished individual. Even when you meet them face to face and verify their appearance, you should remain vigilant—after all, they might simply be a woman who dresses in men's attire. Klein did not overlook Mr. Azk's advice simply because it was directed at him; he nodded firmly, fully agreeing. Azk emphasized the precautions and soon began to explain the rituals he knew: "First, set up the altar. If you wish to offer sacrifice to a particular deity or to a more subtle, hidden entity, engrave or inscribe the corresponding symbolic signs, using herbs and minerals native to that entity's domain. Of course, you may also prepare sacred oils, balms, or incense in advance." Symbolic signs? Caine was momentarily taken aback, realizing that, as the 'Fool' who did not belong to this age, he himself did not even know what his own symbolic sign was. A thought struck him, and he quickly recalled the complex symbol behind the high-back chair at the head of the bronze long table—a composition of elements representing hiddenness, the 'Eye without Pupils,' and elements representing transformation, the 'Twisted Lines.' "This should be my symbol—more precisely, my symbol above the gray mist... The domain is simple: secret, ever-changing, auspicious... but still uncertain; I can only try. Indeed, even if the symbol is mistaken, as long as the 'Divine Name' is correct, the sacrificial target will not shift to another entity. At most, the ritual will fail. This, I can confidently assert." Kline traced his fingers over the paper's surface, now with a clear plan forming in his mind. Focusing once more, he turned his gaze to the next section: "Secondly, you must determine whether the offering to the corresponding entity requires a specific moment in time, and then proceed with the standard ritual steps until the Divine Name and the prayers are fully recited." "You must remember to use Giant, Dragon, Elf, or Ancient Hermes language, drawing upon their direct connection to natural forces to communicate with the corresponding being. You may design your specific phrases as you see fit, but they must include those key words: 'petition,' 'gaze,' 'dedicate,' 'realm,' 'gateway,' and 'open.' Finally, using materials imbued with spirit and combining them with the natural vibrations created by the incantation, you establish an initial channel—connecting to the corresponding being's 'gateway to the realm.' If that being is interested, your offering will be complete." "This step isn't strictly necessary. If you can make the corresponding entity particularly interested, then as soon as you finish chanting the incantation, it will open the 'Realm Gates' on its own and establish a stable channel. However, this often comes with risk, since orthodox deities and even relatively friendly hidden beings rarely do so—only the demonic or malevolent entities typically respond directly to specific purposes." Spiritual materials aren't cheap... I wonder if simply chanting the incantation will suffice to open a kind of 'Gate of Summoning' and activate a modest share of the mysterious power in the space above the gray mist. Hmm, let's try that first. If it doesn't work, I'll head down to the underground market to purchase spiritual materials. Aren't extraordinary materials required? Isn't a certain level of spirituality enough? Klein thought of the 300 gold pounds in his anonymous account, and the several pounds he had recently saved for personal use. Ethereal materials and materials with a certain spiritual essence are not entirely equivalent. For instance, the heart of Hude Eugen is an ethereal material, while the black scales belong to materials with a certain spiritual essence. After reading Mr. Azk's letter, Caine gently rubbed his fingers, kindled a spiritual flame, and burned the paper into ash, which he then scattered into the trash can. At that moment, the night had grown deep, and he did not rush to act. Instead, he intended to first formulate a plan, settle all the necessary details, before putting it into practice. He had long been aware, though subtly, of his own shortcomings—when things were within his prepared plans, he acted with caution and rationality; however, when faced with unforeseen circumstances or moments of sudden inspiration, he tended to focus only on the positive aspects, often overlooking potential drawbacks. In simple terms, he was prone to making things worse out of impulse—Caine reached up and covered his face. The next day, having already coordinated with the "PenaltyBearer" and the "Mechanical Heart," Dunn-Smith began assigning tasks, and Caine accepted his corresponding assignments, investigating several individuals with ties to Larnuus. However, according to his own judgment and the internal protocols of the Night Watch, he was not responsible for those he had previously known. Of course, his afternoon combat classes continued, and Dunn did not treat him as a primary investigator. A few seconds later, Zhilinger noticed a soft glow spreading over his reflection, with his muscles, skin, and bones undergoing strange transformations. Soon, he had become the man lying on the ground—identical in height, appearance, and demeanor! PS: It's already Monday again. The update will be posted early tomorrow, but no additional content will be added, as I've been a bit stuck with the flow lately.