Could it be that the malevolent spirit was Medici, the "Red Angel," one of the founding figures of the "Violet Redeemer," a celestial king who once served the "Master Creator"? At that moment, Caine instantly formed this connection and traced backward, seeking traces and clues: "The former holder of the 'Red Priest' card, drawn by some kind of attraction, had entered the underground palace and died beside the descendants of the Tudor line; The malevolent spirit I saw in my dream was capable of effortlessly slaying powerful dragons during its lifetime; It knew the magical formula for the Sequence 4 'Puppet' path of the 'Strange Species' route, and even more; It was well aware of the 'Violet Redeemer' itself; While the major divine churches established after the Great Cataclysm had no knowledge of the existence of the Medici lineage in the present-day Binsy, this spirit could still provide relevant insights." It is very likely that it evolved from the "Red Angel" Medici after his demise... Yet, how could an Angel King be slain by the "Blood Emperor" Alistair Toud? Does this not signify that Alistair Toud has surpassed the Sequence 1 rank and attained the true divine status of Sequence 0—now beyond direct perception? The very spirit itself stated that during the late Fourth Age, the "Black Emperor" of the Solomon Empire, the "Blood Emperor" of the Toud Empire, and the "Night Emperor" of the Trenzostor Empire were vying for the position of Sequence 0, until Alistair Toud went mad. Does this not imply that, from that point onward, the "Blood Emperor" has been a half-mad true god? By the way, Mr. Azkirk also mentioned in his letter that he lost consciousness after being briefly glanced at by "Emperor of Blood" Alistair Tord. At that moment, Mr. Azkirk was already at least a half-divine of Sequence 4. Such overwhelming presence from "Emperor of Blood" could only be explained by someone of true divine status. In his letter, Mr. Azkirk described the true "Emperor of Black" returning to life, seated upon a magnificent throne, surveying the entire land. The "Emperor of Black" likely being a true divine of Sequence 0. If this is indeed the case, then the "Four Emperors' War" is far more prestigious than I previously thought—no longer merely a contest among three Sequence 1 divines vying for a Sequence 0 position. Connecting many events chronologically, Caine now has a completely renewed understanding of the Fourth Age's history. Thus, a number of questions arise: "If the ancient evil spirit is indeed the 'King of Angels,' Medici, then the underground palace likely belongs to the 'Emperor of Blood,' Alastor Tudo. Yet, why are there two side-by-side thrones? And why are there six statues of the divine beings in humanoid form? Why would the half-mad 'Emperor of Blood' kill the 'Red Angel,' Medici? After ascending to Sequence 0, what position does he now occupy? First, the 'Black Emperor' can be ruled out—wouldn't it be the 'Red Priest'? Was the killing of the 'King of Angels,' Medici, specifically motivated by his exceptional nature? "Yet, the 'Red Priest' and the 'Black Emperor' do not seem to be interchangeable paths. I'm almost certain the 'Red Priest' corresponds to the 'Witch' path. As Captain mentioned, when consuming the elixirs of other paths, one does not die at first but instead goes mad, gaining a distorted, terrifying power—this aligns perfectly with the half-mad condition of the 'Emperor of Blood'!" "At the very end, since the 'Black Emperor' and the nearby paths had no hope, He made the most mad choice—making a half-mad leap to a completely unrelated path? But this too raises questions: becoming a 'Red Priest' requires slaying the Angel King Medici. However, before his promotion, Arista Thud had not yet been able to accomplish this feat on his own. Unless—unless—there are more Sequence-1 allies helping Him, or the true Deities of Sequence-0..." As this thought formed, a sudden image flashed through Caine's mind: the statues within the underground palace—the goddess of the night resting upon a moon, the earth mother cradling a baby, the storm lord draped in lightning, the eternal sun god radiant and youthful, the war god seated upon a throne, and the god of knowledge and wisdom wearing a hood—all of them gazing with cold, unwavering eyes from the dark chamber. At that moment, Caine felt a chill run through him. Yet he clearly remembered that the Six Gods had supported the Tronst Empire, not the Tudor dynasty. The deeper he delved into the history of the Fourth Age, the more bewildered and eerie it became. Klein sighed. "What are you thinking about?" Azk Eggs noticed his pause. Klein casually remarked, "I'm just wondering—since the 'Red Angel' Medici fell at the hands of the 'Blood Emperor' Alistair Tudor already in the Fourth Age, who among the worshippers of the 'Weather God' in the port of Banxi has been venerated over the past few centuries? What exactly has caused their unusual phenomena?" As he spoke, Klein stopped abruptly, for the situation in Banxi differed from his expectations. He had assumed that the 'Red Angel' Medici lay dormant there, only to find out that Medici had already perished long ago. With that, the hidden secrets within the Qingling Restaurant and the Telegraph Office grew even more enigmatic and harder to trace—more unsettling with every deeper reflection. "The specter mentioned 'Benshaw'—does it already anticipate this outcome, making this step part of its effort to break free from the seal? Should I inform Mr. Azk about this and seek his opinion? 'Well, first, have the 'magician' lady in Beckland keep an eye on that area for any anomalies. If none are found, then I'll return to Beckland, reach out to Miss Sharon, consult her, and then inform Mr. Azk. After all, it's a site we've both explored together, so we should respect her perspective. Should anomalies arise, then we'll have to act swiftly.' Kline quickly settled on a course of action. Upon hearing Kline's questions, Azk chuckled and said: 'Stop pondering these matters—they're surely already buried beneath the storm church's narrative. Attempting to uncover their reasons may itself prove dangerously disruptive, and even reaching angelic rank might not be enough to ensure survival.'" In the esoteric world, curiosity is often the leading cause of death... Caine recalled various incidents he had personally experienced or heard about. He then said, "Mr. Azk, I now have my own messengers." "Faster than I anticipated," Azk smiled. Caine then briefly explained how he had revised the incantations, successfully completed the summoning, and encountered peculiar ethereal beings. "When summoning ethereal entities, it's not always aligned with one's profession—such issues do arise, requiring repeated attempts to achieve the desired outcome. However, during these repeated attempts, danger often emerges. Even when you describe them as 'friendly' or benevolent, they are not absolutely safe. The summoned ethereal beings may harbor no ill will toward you and wish to spare you from harm—yet their very presence may still pose a threat. It might simply be their inherent atmosphere that causes you to decay into blood." After hearing the cases of the "Swift One," the "One with Weak Presence," and the "Resilient One," Azk smiled and offered a few remarks, then asked, "So, how did you ultimately succeed?" Cain felt a bit embarrassed and replied, "I revised the final phrase to 'a unique being willing to serve as my messenger.'" Azk paused for a moment, then glanced at Cain with a slightly puzzled expression: "…That description is rather broad—normally, it wouldn't lead to success." "Perhaps I was exceptionally fortunate at that moment," Cain carefully described the appearance of his messenger, even not withholding the details about the coins requested by the being. Azk thought deeply before responding: "I don't recall having met this spirit-being before, but since the contract has been signed and witnessed by the Underworld, she should not pose any threat to you. However, until you fully understand her, try to avoid assigning her tasks beyond simply delivering messages." "...Agreed." Klein had intended to say there was nothing else that could possibly motivate her besides delivering the letter, but then he remembered the scene from when he fought against Mr. A. The room fell into a brief silence, and Klein redirected the conversation: "Mr. Azk, when shall we set off for the Black Death?" The longer they delayed, the more likely it was that the traces he left behind on the Black Death would be erased during routine cleanings. "Now," Azk stood up and donned his hat. Klein, dressed neatly, had just been about to find an excuse to go to the restroom to consult on the safety of tonight's mission, when Azk seized his shoulder and led him directly into the spiritual realm. Amidst the layered hues and nearly imperceptible figures, he heard Azk say: "Begin." So direct? No need to check the situation first? Perhaps the senior figure had already assessed the risks himself... Klein silently murmured a few thoughts, then picked up his staff to consult on the whereabouts of his left-behind belongings. The walking stick rose on its own and rolled and leapt forward. Azk followed closely behind Caine, moving effortlessly through the path. Not long after, the black hardwood staff came to a halt, leaving behind a dense blackness and layered shadows ahead. Through this abstract image, Caine vaguely recognized it as possibly symbolizing the Black Death. At that moment, however, Azk paused, his tone slightly serious. "The spirits here tell me there's danger." Danger? Could Azk himself perceive danger like this? Had the "Disease of the Realm" summoned assistance? Perhaps even high-ranking members of the Magician's Order? Caine's brows furrowed instantly. ——He fully trusted Azk's judgment, since the Sequence 7 of the "Death" path, known as the "Spirit-Channeler," naturally demonstrates such sensitivity when elevated to a half-divine level. Azk closed his eyes for two seconds, then opened them again. "But it's not serious. Let's go in." "Not a big issue...for you, probably something like this...Klein gave a slight draw of the corners of his mouth, deciding to change his appearance. In this way, even if he were to fall short and have to flee in embarrassment, no one would come looking for him! Instantly, Klein acquired a distinctive broad chin and cool, deep green eyes, with a brown, ancient warrior's braid at the back of his head. He had transformed himself into the former owner of "The Hunger," the "Storm Commander" Zinglars! Azk glanced at him, and suddenly the surrounding scene felt as though it were plunging downward, the vivid colors rapidly fading. In the blink of an eye, Klein found himself back in the captain's cabin of "The Sickness Girl" Tracie. The spirited, radiant female pirate was now wearing a different white shirt, with a clear bandage visible at her left shoulder, her black hair neatly coiled and no longer flowing gracefully. Facing the sudden arrival of this visitor, she remained calm, even offering a smile. At that moment, a soft, graceful female voice rose, indistinct in its origin—seeming both to the left and right, both ahead and behind: "Are you?"