Boom! The powerful gunshot echoed across the open stretch where the trees were sparse, spreading out in all directions. In a typical island night forest, such a sound would surely rouse countless birds, flapping their wings and circling above the howling beasts—yet here, the silence remained, so profound that it seemed as though no living creatures existed at all. The black, curly-haired baboon suddenly exploded, its blood, brain, and fragments splashing out violently, as if a sudden downpour had fallen over the area. The black crystal in its head shattered completely, with not a single piece intact. Cain bent his arm, slowly drawing back the left-hand revolver still steaming with gunpowder smoke—the "Tomb Bell." Watching the mutated, more robust baboon collapse lifelessly, he realized that with "Travel" providing close-range control, "Grief" securing the decisive strike, the combined effect had instantly ended the creature's life. Klein wasn't doing this to showcase his own prowess. Rather, based on his observations just now, he believed this mutated golden-furred baboon possessed unique capabilities. If he didn't act swiftly while the baboon still knew little of him, there was a strong chance the baboon could reverse the course of the battle and turn the situation into a serious challenge—something that had to be avoided on a dangerous, primitive island, where no one could predict what might emerge from intense combat. Therefore, after the "spirit ghost" took hold of the mutated baboon, Klein abandoned his attempt to manipulate the "spirit thread," opting instead for a more gradual, reliable, and subtle approach. He directly raised his hammer and used the "Tomb Clock" revolver to target the baboon's stiffness and sluggishness caused by the influence of the "spirit ghost." The outcome matched his expectations, and any midstream surprises also unfolded as he had anticipated. The mutated golden-furred baboon indeed possessed sufficient capability to escape the adverse situation of being haunted by "ghostly spirits" through "distortion" or "chaos," making the trajectory of the bullets erratic and forcing them to bypass its body. Unfortunately, all these efforts came to an abrupt halt before yielding results. Klein seized upon that brief moment of stillness and launched his "decisive blow" with decisive speed and precision. If he had instead manipulated the "Lines of the Spirit," the outcome likely would have been quite different. It was a worthwhile trade-off to accept this vulnerability. Moreover, as they progressed further, the likelihood of drawing upon the "Great Bell" revolver grew stronger. Rather than discovering one's fears only when confronted with danger, it was better to identify the issues in advance, adapt to them, and proactively avoid similar situations. Thus, Klein allowed the dark-gray revolver to hang naturally at his side and took a few steps forward, positioning himself beside the mutated golden-furred baboon. At this moment, under the control of the "wailing spirit," the extraordinary traits of the transcendent being were rapidly manifesting. Aljer, holding his lantern, watched the scene from afar and remained utterly stunned for several dozen seconds, his mind still fixed on the image of the flame erupting from the iron-black revolver barrel in Germán Sparo's hands, followed by the shattering of the mutated, curly-haired baboon's head. The initial encounter had already made him realize that this transcendent being surpassed the hallucinatory bell tree in rank—being a particularly difficult opponent to handle. He had come to understand that in fighting it, he would need to be exceptionally cautious and precise, and that victory was far from guaranteed. Yet Germán Sparo had resolved the battle in just a few seconds, executing it with such swift efficiency that it seemed as though he were merely practicing his shooting. As fellow Sequence 5 beings, this level of disparity simply left him incredulous! The short-range "teleportation" and that peculiar ability to control the opponent within a certain timeframe, combined with the powerful revolver, proved astonishingly effective—so much so that even if I encountered it for the first time, I would undoubtedly be instantly eliminated. Even with preparation, countering it proved difficult. The best strategy remained to preemptively use "song" to broadly and indiscriminately influence the surroundings, thereby disrupting General Spalro's seamless execution of the "teleportation." No wonder he's a daring adventurer with a five-thousand-pound bounty—without the assistance of the "Fool," he stands just as formidable, if not more so, than the "General of Hell." Aljere gathered his thoughts, silently murmuring his reflections as he imagined himself in the position of the mutated curly-haired baboon, considering how to respond. The firsthand observations seemed far more convincing and impactful than accounts or his own speculations! Within the body of the curly-haired baboon, fragments of black crystals slowly released tiny specks of light, which swiftly coalesced into a tightly clenched, semi-transparent, deep-black fist. This fist immediately conveyed a sense of strength and an eerie quality; its patterns and luminous spots appeared to follow normal rules, yet carried an unsettling, discordant essence, as though harboring vast amounts of chaos and madness. "The Path of the Black Emperor," Sequence 5, "Master of Chaos"? I'm not sure what my current vulnerability is—hoping it's not particularly unusual... Ah, within the next six hours, "The Clock of Doom" can be used freely... While murmuring these thoughts, Caine bent down, picked up the extraordinary property, and placed it into the pre-prepared metal container. He could have tried tending to this mutated, curly-haired baboon, hoping to gain the extraordinary ability corresponding to the "Chaotic Mentor" title and replace the "Decaying Baron" inside his gloves—yet ultimately he abandoned the idea, unsure of what this transcendent being had done in the past, or whether it should endure such suffering. The encounter just now was a natural clash on the battlefield, where life-or-death confrontation is expected; but tending is something that deeply distresses and yearns for liberation among spirits. Klein has his own principles and steadfastness—he does not readily undertake such efforts and always carefully selects his targets. Of course, in his mind, less intelligent beings remain fundamentally unequal to humans, even when he attempts tending—he cannot overcome the internal barrier. Yet past experiences have taught him that maintaining his principles and holding firm to self-expectations is not merely a matter of morality, but also a vital dam preventing a catastrophic flood. He cannot simply settle for marginal efforts, treating minor matters as inconsequential, for such incremental lapses will eventually accumulate into major failures. In this wildly chaotic and mysterious world, actions aren't performed for show—they're driven by personal intent. One can deceive others, even the gods, but one cannot deceive oneself. Well, perhaps the higher-tier beings who operate through the "audience" pathway might be able to trick themselves... At this moment, Klein thought quickly, reaching into his chest for the *Travels of Grozsel*, intending to smear the blood of the mutated curly-haired baboon onto its surface. Just then, his heart tightened, and the hairs along his nape stood rigidly upright. A strong sense of imminent danger! Yet within this sensation, no corresponding image surfaced in his mind. Unfavorable! A thick shadow instantly settled over Klein's thoughts, and everything before him seemed viewed through a translucent, dark glass. Without pausing to ponder what had just occurred, the surface of his left palm, resting beside him, once again became transparent. His form momentarily dissolved into invisibility, then materialized beside the "Hanged Man" Aljé, reaching out to grasp the man's shoulder. At that moment, Aljaz also sensed the change. His heart contracted and expanded as if at the very center of a storm, blood rushing in tidal waves through his arteries and veins. Meanwhile, he saw Germán Sparrow's right hand, which had been gripping his shoulder, gradually turning gray from the tips of his fingernails inward, losing its luster—much like the stones commonly found in the Black Forest. His legs, however, grew stiff, his muscles rigid, as though no longer belonging to him. The two figures swiftly became translucent and vanished, entering the richly layered, clearly superimposed realm of the spirit world, and swiftly moving toward the ancient ruins. Suddenly, the layered scenes of red, green, and black before Caine unexpectedly unified into a deep black, displaying fine, distinct patterns—like neat, flowing strands of dark hair. Dark hair! A cold surge rose from his feet. Without hesitation, Caine carried the "Embalmed Man" out of the spiritual realm and back into reality, landing in a patch of scattered stones and weeds. Nearby stood a building that had collapsed in half. In his peripheral vision, the man's waist down had turned pale, as if carved from stone! Their deep shadows faded, and the hidden dangers lurking in the darkness receded like a tide. Huff... Caine exhaled, watching the gray-white streaks spreading to his elbows gradually lighten and retreat, sensing his condition rapidly recovering as his body adjusted to the environment beyond. His shirtwaist was soaked with sweat, his vest damp. Most terrifying of all, he didn't even know what monster had attacked him or what power it had used! Was it the gunshot from the left-hand revolver of "The Bell" that startled a creature nearby, or the one that ruled the forest at night? Fortunately, it hadn't dared enter the area of this ancient sanctuary... Yet that wasn't entirely reassuring—this clearly indicated that deep within the sanctuary, there were things even the creature he'd just encountered feared. He'd better be ready to retreat at a moment's notice. Caine moved his hands slowly and rose to his feet. At that moment, Aljer also shed the grayish hue, turned back to gaze at the direction from which they had come, and said: "That area is petrifying us." That area... petrifying... Klein nodded thoughtfully, took a step forward toward the building that had collapsed significantly and was now overgrown with weeds and vines, and responded in a low tone: "The issue now lies ahead." Aljer said nothing further, quickened his pace, and moved steadily beside Klein. Upon approaching, Klein looked at the building, his gaze sweeping over the pointed spires, the stone columns, and the remaining, weathered walls. He paused, asking casually: "What do you think this site originally was?" Aljer remained silent for a few seconds, then replied: "A church. A church."