The Night Kingdom's faith at the summit of the Honaquis Mountains venerates "The Ruler of Night, the Mother of Heaven"... Is there a connection to Fregrala, the "Night Beast Wolf"? So, the phantom murmurs I've heard are actually "Honaquis... Fregrala"? What is the relationship between Fregrala, the ancient deity and goddess of the Night Beast Wolf? According to Rosel's account, Sequence 0 equals a True God, and there is only one Sequence 0 per sequence—the goddess inherits precisely the authority of Fregrala. Yet Fregrala is not the oldest deity, nor does He claim to be the Creator with a single eye. Indeed, that's a rather compelling, though not yet proven, clue: the Life School worships the Moon, specifically the Crimson Moon evolved from the Creator's single eye, yet they do not venerate the Goddess of Night. "Sun," Drik thought he had barely responded at all, and with a touch of embarrassment proposed, "World, perhaps you could rephrase your question." Rephrase your question? Oh, how straight-laced you are, little Sun—then I shall be most direct! Caine said to the "World," his voice roughened with effort, "Your honesty and reliability are truly impressive." "I once encountered a remarkable one who could freely shift between physical and spiritual forms and command the undead—do you know which path and sequence that belongs to?" Although the "Sun," based in the God-Abandoned Lands and the Silver City, could not have any direct connection with the capital of the Kingdom of Breca, Bekland, Caine, being cautious, carefully changed the reference to Miss Sharon from "she" to "he." "Oh, and he wasn't a high-sequence figure," the "World" added, in a low tone. Derek "Sun" recalled the textbook content carefully: "If it's not a high-sequence powerhouse, then the 'Unbroken Bird' path can be ruled out." "What's the 'Unbroken Bird' path?" Kline deliberately made the "World" express a certain sense of surprise. After attending so many gatherings, Derek "Sun" was well aware that the common terminology used in Silver City for sequence paths differed from the descriptions given by Miss Justice, so it was only natural for him to explain: "It's the exceptional path that masters death and exerts partial control over the spiritual realm." "Sequence 9 on that path is the 'Burial Attendant.'" Ah, so it was the 'Death' path—then it made sense that the primordial 'Unbroken Bird' ancestor, Greagal, was an ancient embodiment of the Death deity. Kline remained seated at the head of the bronze table, calmly guiding the "World" to nod: "I understand. Please continue." "Sol" Deric replied immediately: "I can think of only two possibilities. The first is a special kind of 'demon,' as I mentioned earlier—demons derived from different races vary in nature, and among them there are types capable of freely transitioning between physical and spiritual forms. However, such types are quite rare, and even if they exist, they may not be able to command the undead." "Can humans do this?" asked "The World." "No, at least I don't know of any such examples," Deric said honestly. "What about the second possibility?" recalled Kline, thinking back to Miss Sharon's usual demeanor and performance during battles, while "The World" shifted in her seat. "Different species," Deric replied seriously. "Different species? Isn't that just another term for monsters?" asked "The World," her voice hoarse. Kline clearly remembered that Mr. Azk had once mentioned that "different species" referred collectively to cursed humans, who, due to the nature of their curses, had evolved into distinct races. They are ordinary to humans most of the time, yet deep within them lies a suppressed, distorted desire that surfaces and erupts when specific circumstances arise or are triggered by certain stimuli, transforming them into monsters who then indulge in their cravings for blood and slaughter. Each time they erupt, they grow more detached, gradually losing their human warmth and positive emotions. The most representative of these are the "werewolves." "Director," Deryck nodded calmly, "yes—these beings are not curses, but rather negative consequences stemming from certain exceptional traits that cause them to diverge from humanity." Not curses, but negative consequences arising from exceptional traits? Sitting amidst the dense gray mist, the "Knight of the Fool" Kline realized this differed from Mr. Azk's description. Was this the understanding of the "outsiders" prior to the Great Cataclysm? This well-known common knowledge in the Silver City held immense value for the extraordinary beings of the northern and southern continents... Kline was increasingly aware of the uniqueness of the "Land of Divine Abandonment." At this point, Deric continued, "The very qualities that the 'non-human' possesses form an extraordinary pathway—thus, ordinary humans, through the consumption of magic potions, can also become non-humans." "What exactly is the 'Non-Human Pathway'? Which one is it? What is the name of the corresponding Sequence 9?" Kline asked the 'World' with genuine curiosity. Deric, undisturbed by the fact that this was the 'World's' third question, regarded it as a necessary addition: "In the City of Silver, the corresponding Sequence 9 is known as 'The Prisoner.' 'The heart is a prisoner of the body, and the body is a prisoner of the world'—this signifies the madness of confinement and the repressed desires." 'The Prisoner'? This pathway is held by the 'Rose School,' renowned for their bloody rituals and devoted to the so-called 'God of the Bound'... Yet Miss Sharon doesn't seem particularly cold or ruthless in her killings... Wait—wasn't Marich being pursued by some force? Were he and Miss Sharon both former rebels of the Rose School? To betray and not go mad like a fanatic? Kline said thoughtfully, "World, your response is satisfactory—the deal is finalized." Then several members shared their experiences and updates. Kline concluded the Tarot gathering just before his spiritual reserves were depleted. Once the gray mist had settled again, silent and without a single phantom, he began making back-and-forth journeys between this mysterious realm and the real world, bringing the "Universal Key" to the ancient palace. Although I inferred from Rosel's journal that the "Apprentice" path likely lacks a Sequence 0, I still couldn't be reckless—Sequences 1 and 2 might still effectively counteract remotely... and what if there actually is a Sequence 0? I couldn't risk my life for that. Kline steadied himself and wrote the divinatory phrase: "Its origin." Then, he grasped the "Universal Key" firmly, to ensure the pronoun "it" didn't refer to the wrong entity. Leaning back against the chair back, Caine murmured the divination incantation, gradually drifting into sleep. In the hazy, ethereal, fragmented realm, he saw a bronze lamp stand flickering with numerous candle flames. Surrounding the stand appeared to be a sealed chamber, devoid of any external light, filled with long tables, black iron pots, glass jars, and brown notebooks. A young man dressed in a black classical robe stood before the long table, gazing steadily at the potion in his hands. "My ancestors," he whispered, "I am about to embark on the path of the extraordinary. I am certain I will restore the glory of the Abraham family!" He drank the potion. Immediately, his facial muscles twisted, and a look of pain spread across his face. Suddenly, he screamed, collapsing to the ground, writhing and clutching at his neck. In just a few seconds, he tore through his garments, shed his skin, and transformed into a blood-soaked monster. Thud! The flesh burst open, each fragment seeming to possess life, climbing outward continuously, leaving behind corrosive traces. Ultimately, they could not escape the chamber, gradually settling into stillness. Glimmers gathered and fused with a broken finger, forming a sturdy, ancient-bronze-colored key. At the same time, Caine noticed a silver pocket watch embedded with diamonds among the fragments of his clothing. The dream ended, and he opened his eyes toward the front, sighing, "Well, they promised to restore the glory of the Abraham family, yet the very first step has already failed... becoming a Ninth Sequence does come with certain risks, after all..." ——The Abraham family was one of the great noble houses of the Fourth Century Tudor Dynasty, reputed to hold the exceptional path of "Apprentice," though it may be incomplete. Reflecting on the images he had just seen, Caine lightly tapped the edge of the long table, speaking to himself, "It's spoken in Runes, but I can't quite pick out the regional accent." "The practice of setting pure diamonds in pocket watches without adding any other stones is a recent development over the past decade." "Why don't you go back to the Harvest Church again and ask Father Utzovski where he obtained his universal key—perhaps you'll find some clues." As Klein was about to leave the place shrouded in mist, the ethereal star symbolizing the "Magician" began to swell and contract, indicating that Folsom was requesting a sacrifice ritual. Folsom originally didn't carry much cash with her, as she had been preparing to attend the gathering of the extraordinary ones. So she had specifically saved 500 pounds in hopes of purchasing the items she needed. Unbeknownst to her, the gathering was canceled due to the prevailing circumstances, and now the funds are perfectly suited to pay for the "Physician's" formula and the "Acting Method," totaling 430 pounds. Upon seeing the light screen appear and watching her cash vanish into it, Folsom stood motionless for several seconds before finally expressing her heartfelt gratitude to the " Fool." The "Pharmacist" formula should be sold to the Viscount of Glayntr for just 300 pounds—no need to be overly ambitious, as that would jeopardize our long-term relationship. As for Miss Audrey, I'll hold off for now; she has a chance to connect directly with the Psychological Alchemy Society and secure the corresponding formula. Indeed, I'll need to seek it out again at the Tarot gatherings. Oh, I should observe whether the "Role-Playing" method proves effective. If so, then I'll consider how to approach the "Knight" gentleman. Hmm—well, this fool, who's always acting as the "Arbitrator," has been quietly fulfilling the very requirements of the "Role-Playing" method all along. Firth recalled a vision of the future. Klein politely declined the kind offer of the "Justice" lady. Then, he busily helped his "Sun" classmate awaken the memories of the Seven Deities' data. After completing all this, Klein returned to the real world, pulled back the curtains, and once again went through the case files of the serial killings, searching for the possible animal.