Klein sat leisurely in the seat designated for "The Fool," gazing around with a calm demeanor. "This is Miss 'The Magician,' our new member." Then he turned to Folsom and introduced them one by one: "This is the 'Justice' lady, and this is the 'Turner' gentleman..." As Folsom matched the designations with the individuals and nodded in greeting, he observed the members closely. The 'Justice' lady was a blonde, appearing quite young, with a graceful posture. The 'Turner' gentleman had deep blue hair, slightly tousled like sea grass, and was not particularly athletic; though he spoke little, there was a sense of unease whenever he was being looked at—clearly, he was a leader within some faction. The 'Sun' gentleman seemed merely a young boy, quiet and reserved, with no other distinguishing features—perhaps, like myself, he was also rather frail. The 'World' gentleman had a cold, somber gaze, clearly someone who was not easily approached. The novelist lady, who had written a best-selling novel, fully showcased her strengths. As she observed the others, they in turn were observing her, with the 'Justice' lady, Audrey, paying the most attentive attention. "From the physical appearance, we can rule out Miss Huxley—brown hair, slightly wavy, that's Miss Forth, isn't it? We can't yet rule out the possibility that the 'Knight of Justice' has brought someone else in, though—the pronunciation matches the mouth movements perfectly, with a Beckland accent, and the nuances of presence and emotional tone align as well. Surely the 'Knight of Justice' wouldn't go to the trouble of fabricating a persona specifically for a member? There's nothing to conceal... With just a few seconds of observation, Audrey had already overlaid the somewhat indistinct figure with the mental image of Miss Forth. All it now requires is one more confirming detail—and then she'll be confident. She was genuinely eager to witness the validation of her exceptional perceptiveness. Meanwhile, she felt no need to reveal her identity to Miss Forth. A little mystery remained—indeed, she'd keep it that way, and see when Miss Forth would finally notice. Audrey turned her gaze away, a gentle smile playing on her lips, and remained quietly observant. At this point, with no new Roscel diary entries, Caine maneuvered the "World" to speak: "I would like to know about the information on the 'Demon' and 'Protector' sequences." He was certain that his "Sun" colleague was well-informed about Sequence 6, the 'Demon,' since the latter had previously mentioned "Demonology." To avoid revealing his own investigation into the series of murders, Caine deliberately included Sequence 5, the 'Protector'—also known as the 'Giants' path—which was the dominant route among the extraordinary beings of Silver City, and thus something the "Sun" could not possibly overlook. As for Sequences 9, the 'Warrior'; Sequence 8, the 'Fighter'; and Sequence 7, the 'Weapon Master,' Caine had already thoroughly acquired their detailed profiles from internal night-watch records. The information on Sequence 6, the 'Dawn Knight,' he had just received from Father Utravsky. Therefore, the only sequences he still had to inquire about—those he could afford to pay for and could not afford to let go without securing—were the 'Protector' sequence, Sequence 5. Moreover, he did not directly ask about "The Sun," but issued this commission to everyone instead, since, according to the "setting," the "World," who had only recently joined the Tarot Circle, could not yet be aware that the Silver City held the "Giants' Path." "If it's merely the 'Devil' sequence, I have some knowledge," interjected Aljer, a member of the Storm Church with a certain standing. "The Sun," Deric Berg, glanced at him, paused no longer, and straightened his posture: "I'm well acquainted with both sequences." "My request is information concerning the 'Fallen Creator.'" "Whether these two pieces of information are equivalent shall be determined by Mr. The Fool." Only then did he remember he had not sought Mr. The Fool's approval, and hurried to turn to the senior figure, respectfully requesting: "Mr. The Sun, this isn't my fault—it was your own request..." At this, Kline's lips slightly moved, and he chuckled softly. "Agreed." Moreover, when it came to understanding the "True Creator," neither of the ladies nor gentlemen present surpassed me—he added to himself with quiet confidence. As they discussed this matter, the "Magician" Firth listened beside, utterly puzzled: "Is the 'Demon' sequence part of the 'Demon' Path? What sequence is it?" "Which Path belongs to the 'Protector'? What sequence?" "I've never heard of this before..." "Fallen Creator? True Creator?" "Good heavens, they're exchanging information about the True Creator!" "He's said to be the oldest and most powerful among the divine beings." "What organization am I actually joining?" Receiving a clear affirmation from the "Ace of Pentacles," the "World" immediately declared: "Deal!" "I'd like to request a private conversation." I'd love to hear it all... yet lately I've had to be more economical—there are still over two months until New Year. I'll hold on, Audrey! Audrey, embodying Justice, blinked and gently withdrew her gaze from the Sun, reluctant to part. Immediately, Kline shielded them from sight, sound, and spiritual intuition. The World swiftly bent low, inscribing upon the manifest sheets its understanding of the True Creator—standard images such as the "Giants Suspended" and "Eyes Behind the Veil of Shadow," as well as information that the members of the Aurora believed this deviant deity to have been the original architect of all creation. At the conclusion, Kline added his own direct impressions, drawn from his encounters with the deity’s offspring, his perception of divine essences, and his listening to the voice of the True Creator: "Fallen, distorted, bloodstained, mad, strange." Then, as the Fool, he offered his assessment: "This intelligence holds slightly greater value than that of the 'Devils' or 'Guardians' sequences, though the difference is not substantial." "Thank you, Mr. Fool." "Sun" Deric earnestly accepted the scroll, reading it carefully from beginning to end several times. Among all the points, the one that most captured his attention was the claim of the "True Creator" that He was the original Maker of all things. Distortion, fall, madness... Deric murmured these words, and in the distance, he seemed to glimpse the dark tragedy that had enveloped every soul of the Silver City for over two thousand years. Had the Lord truly abandoned us? Or had He gone mad? "Sun" Deric found himself now able to gaze upon the "All-Knowing, All-Powerful Creator" venerated by the Silver City—without resistance, without hesitation, with a sense of profound disrespect. "You should answer my questions," the "World" urged, her voice hoarse. Deric calmed his turbulent and sorrowful thoughts, and after a silence of two seconds, said, "The mutations produced in different species after consuming the 'Demon' potion vary significantly, each with its own distinct characteristics. Which kind of demon would you like to know more about?" Indeed, there were such differences? Klein was slightly astonished. He soon realized something—that his earlier assumptions contained a mental blind spot! What if the murderer in the series of killings wasn't human, but an animal? An animal that, through the consumption of a specific potion, had transformed into a "demon"—step by step, sequence by sequence! Although the probability was low, and animals faced a much higher risk of losing control than humans, the mere possibility of such an event was enough to warrant investigation. Yet, that raised new questions: Where did these animal-transformed "demons" obtain their potions and extraordinary materials? How could they possibly join the circle of human extraordinary beings? Klein remained silent and invoked the "World" to ask: "What common characteristics do all kinds of demons share?" Derek, recalling and organizing his thoughts, said: "The most terrifying aspect of demons is that if you can inflict a fatal blow on them within a short period of time—something you've actively implemented—and they can sense, perceive, and pinpoint the origin of the threat, identifying both its source and the person responsible, then they can respond with targeted countermeasures or even retaliate." "The duration of this awareness varies—from a few minutes to a full day—depending on the individual demon." This ability is indeed impressive... yet it's different from the intuitive sense of the 'Clown.' It doesn't seem suited for direct combat, but rather for early detection of threats and timely responses—more akin to what I've read in fantasy novels from my past life: a 'spontaneous' or 'sudden inspiration' ability. I wonder whether, in this mysterious realm above the gray mist, I can interfere with, or even block, this very sense of intuition? Will Stuart be a bit of a threat...? Caine leaned back against the chair, seemingly uninterested in the topics of "sun" and "world." Deric, seeing no sign of astonishment from "world," continued: "They all possess the ability to assume massive, embodied forms, allowing them to break free from constraints and briefly enhance their strength and speed; their skin has undergone transformation, resembling a hard armor, enabling their blood and flesh to resist objects and reduce damage; they are immune to most toxins, unafraid of moderate curses or flames; they have innate proficiency in fire and corruption-based spells; they are cold-blooded, neither startled nor frightened, and possess strong melee capabilities, excelling at using various objects to inflict damage." "Their greatest weakness is a tendency to lose control—even when they don't, they often display a cold, ruthless frenzy, easily dominated by desires for blood and slaughter." "Indeed, very strong—no wonder he's the 'Demon' of Sequence 6. Is it true that among the Twenty-Two Exceptional Paths, Sequence 6 or 7 marks a qualitative leap below higher sequences? This threshold varies by sequence, which is precisely why they have become the dividing lines between ancient and modern mid-sequences. Klein manipulates the Way of 'World': 'Your intelligence is satisfactory.' Deryck didn't hesitate; he nodded and then added: 'The 'Guardians' rarely suffer injuries. Once they enter a defensive state and cease attacking, few below higher sequences can breach their defenses—whether from physical, magical, or other forms of damage. When they attack, their defenses weaken significantly, though still far surpassing even refined full-body armor. Their 'Dawn Sword,' their 'Storm of Light,' and other exceptional abilities enable them to inflict damage upon any type of monster.' "They are not deceived by illusions; they can shoulder injuries and protect their companions within a certain range."... As Driek, the "Sun," described it, Caine couldn't help but silently remark: "The defensive capabilities of the 'Dawn Knights' are to the 'Guardians' as a child's strength compares to that of an adult—the Guardians could very well withstand bullets from a steam-powered rifle." In the wars of this era, unless subjected to a concentrated barrage from heavy artillery, he would likely survive.