At that very moment, the first thought that flashed through Caine's mind was: Zarathustra indeed has a scheme! He was deeply relieved that he had previously obtained the correct "opening" symbol from the Antigonus family's notes, which gave him confidence and prevented him from being overwhelmed. Zarathustra returned his quill and ink bottle to history, raised his head, glanced briefly at "Germán Sparo" and the "Despair Witch" Panatia, and sighed, saying, "All the conditions are now in place—go ahead and open the 'Gate of Escape.' " As he spoke, his gaze settled firmly on Germán Sparo's face, where he chuckled, "Don't forget to take my urn." Immediately after speaking, his entire body suddenly fragmented into countless fine points of light, spreading out and dissolving into the void, as if already long since decayed and turned to ash. And where he sat, there remained a plain silver罐, its surface weathered and unremarkable. Cain asked "Germán Sparo" to take a few steps forward, bent down, and picked up the silver pot—feeling it heavy, as if it were genuine. With the hand holding the vellum, he opened the lid and saw inside only a fine gray-white dust and particles, without any gleam or sparkle. Was it truly just ordinary ashes? Then who had arranged the cremation for Chalatu? Had he himself cremated himself? After closing the lid, "Germán Sparo" casually reached into his clothing pocket with the same vellum-hand and withdrew a chunk of meat, which he chewed and swallowed. "Despair's Lady" Panatia noticed this gesture, her eyes narrowing slightly as she glanced at him, as though questioning, "What do you intend to do?" Cain quickly maneuvered the meat into the secret figure's mouth, deliberately adjusting his respiratory posture: "A bit nervous. I'm not sure if this 'door-opening' symbol will prove useful." "Pannatia has confirmed that the other person is eating plain fish—something that looks rather unappetizing. In her half-mad state, she lacks the patience to make further distinctions and simply shifts her gaze toward the urn, smiling without a word: 'If it's not useful, we can share it. I only use one spoonful each day, and it will last for a long time.' The woman's mental state truly seems quite unstable... Klein silently remarked to himself, stepping past the rubber eraser angel, seemingly the 'Mother of Heaven,' and moving toward the wall at the back. Then, he turned slightly, pointing to the indentation, and said to Pannatia, the 'Despair Witch': 'Embed that obsidian slab there.' Pannatia responded with a bright smile and a cold gaze: 'First, show me the 'door-opening' symbol.' "There's no need to be so cautious of me. If I truly intended to harm you, I would have abandoned the secret companion right now—by then, you'd have no time to escape the church and would certainly have been suspended. At that point, I'd enter slowly, pick up the obsidian slab, and just as easily 'open the door' to leave. Still, the symbol given by Charatou does seem a bit off—it's going to require someone else to share the burden. Suddenly, Caine thought of something, and asked 'Germán Sparrow' to raise his hand, tap his stomach, and then open his mouth. A swift stream of blood and tissue surged out, piling up continuously until it formed a graceful, feminine figure—Mr. A. Seeing this, 'Germán Sparrow' shook the parchment, unfurling it. The special symbol, together with the 'Weird Master's' potion formula, now appeared clearly before both the 'Despair Witch' Panatia and Mr. A. Panatia's eyes flickered, and then she smiled warmly. 'Go open the door. You go first.' She was certain that "Germán Sparo" was still actively manipulating the "Thread of the Spirit" at this moment, thus leaving ample time for patience. As she spoke, she tossed the grotesque puppet, stained with blood and wrapped in strands of hair, to him. She too feared unforeseen complications. While handing the puppet to "Germán Sparo," she watched "The Magician of Despair," Panatia, take a few steps forward and place the obsidian slab precisely into the recessed opening. The two fit together perfectly, with no excess. The wall swiftly glowed and gradually became transparent, revealing the stone flooring beyond, the cracked walls, and the floating clouds in the half-space above. As "Panatia" stepped back to the side, "Germán Sparo" took the puppet, the parchment, and the ash jar in his left hand, extended his right palm, and, with his finger forming a stylus, began to sketch a vertical eye composed of numerous secret symbols upon the now-transparent wall. During this process, Caine felt deeply uncertain—hesitating between drawing the symbol of Zaratustra or that of the Antigonid family. Although he had just been thinking about potential problems and conspiracies involving Zaratustra, upon settling down, he felt that such a view somewhat undervalued the great man. If Zaratustra's sole intention were to harm him and everyone here, he would simply have waited patiently, not mentioning the matter of the gate, and thus achieved his goal. Moreover, Caine's gray mist aura had been completely blocked from being perceived in this misty town, making it difficult for him to imagine any specific targeting of Zaratustra. Therefore, his final judgment was that Zaratustra's fundamental objective remained to persuade people to "open the gate"—to gain something or release something from within. Whether there would be danger after the gate was opened was not of concern to Zaratustra. If the act of scattering the ashes were indeed genuine and significant, then after leaving, safety would likely be assured; otherwise, danger would loom. In other words, there is a fifty percent chance that the "opening" symbol of Charathus is correct and poses no danger. On the other hand, the records of the Antigonid family are not particularly benign. Based on the visions克莱恩 saw during his divination atop the gray mist, the information gleaned from Charathus's words, and the known fact that Charathus has already lost control and gone mad externally, it is reasonable to conclude that the main treasure of the Antigonid family at the peak of the Hōnachis Mountains is likely a highly enticing trap—thus, the complex pattern provided in the records may harbor underlying issues worth questioning. The left is the tiger, the right is the wolf: an extreme choice between two. Moreover, the Antigonid symbol signifies entry to the treasure, but it does not necessarily guarantee an exit. While克莱恩 pondered these points, his sketching never ceased, and he was approaching the final section that would differ significantly. At that moment, he glanced at Panatia and noticed the mage's eyes gleaming with brightness, a warm smile playing at her lips—there was a clear sense of eagerness, almost impulsive. She… if she were in normal condition, as a seasoned instigator, she should have been able to control her expression. Moreover, she had just looked at the "door opening" symbol. A thought struck Caine. He instructed the secret figure to follow the pattern provided by Charathus in the closing section. Soon, the intricate depiction of vertical eyes was complete. Pure beams of light cascaded over the design, flowing along the lines before converging into a single, unified glow. Amidst the bright radiance, a translucent, enigmatic double door materialized on the wall, slowly unfolding toward the rear, thanks to the impetus of "Germán Sparo." Behind it lay the ancient stone floor and the broken walls he had previously observed—everything remained quiet, undisturbed. At that very instant, Panatia's form as the "Maiden of Despair" suddenly shattered, dissolving into fragments of glass. At the same time, the vibrant woman in her pure white robe appeared before "Germán Sparo," stepping through the "Gate of Escape." In her hands, she now held a grotesque puppet, its surface stained with flesh and blood, its neck wrapped in strands of hair. As for the one in "Germán Sparo's" hands, it suddenly reduced to a fragment of glass. On the "Mirror Illusion," the "Magician of Despair" outperformed Caine by no less than countless measures. After Pannatia had passed through the gate, she half-turned toward "Germán Sparo," offering him a smile that blended madness with irony, her palm blazing with black flame that instantly consumed the puppet. In that moment, she seemed to be saying: "Feel despair—despair deeply when hope is finally arriving!" Caine, meanwhile, realized that this curse could no longer be transferred or shared through the "paper man substitute." Pannatia immediately turned to face away, eager to leave the misty town, to distance herself from the ancient church, fearing unforeseen mishaps. At that moment, her eyes suddenly froze. Her body shattered continuously, transforming into one mirror after another, yet she could not move beyond ten meters from the "Gate of Escape." In just a few seconds, Panatia emitted a sharp cry, and invisible threads and thick black hair spiraled inward, wrapping her tightly, while black flames and solid ice layers piled up around her. Suddenly, everything dissolved. Clear traces of profound despair and regret shimmered in the eyes of the "Magical Woman of Despair," Panatia. Her expression quickly grew stiff, as if lifted by an invisible hand, her entire body rising into the air and suspended there, eyes gradually turning white, yet her appearance remained as radiant as ever. At the "Gate of Escape," Germaine Sparrow's body is now enveloped in black flame, melting drop by drop like a candle. Mr. A, who was meant to step through into the light gate, suddenly gags, spitting out one after another of vivid mushrooms; more mushrooms sprout densely and abundantly across his body, like spring shoots after a rain. In Germaine Sparrow's still-lingering gaze, the image beyond the light gate comes closer—revealing a vast hall. Not at all empty, in fact: more bodies hang suspended in midair, of all ages and both genders, dressed in various styles—some refined, some opulent, some ancient, some casual. These bodies, together with the suspended ones in the church, rise upward simultaneously, forming a dense, bustling crowd, moving in and out as if staging a grand opera—one that perfectly captures the town's entire ecosystem and intricate details! Klein noticed that behind each suspended figure there stretched a translucent, smooth appendage, intricately patterned and subtly concealed—so complex that it seemed capable of driving one mad. All these appendages extended deep into the hall, toward an ancient, massive stone throne, its surface inlaid with dull gold and stones. This... Klein's spirit tightened instantly. Without hesitation, he closed his eyes, severing his connection to the secret figure. In his mind, the vision he had previously received through divination came vividly to life: countless transparent maggot-like creatures gathered together, seated on the great throne, slowly蠕ating and expanding, spreading out roots-like appendages that became nearly invisible. In the final scene captured by the secret figure's vision, lying quietly at the base of the ancient throne was a Tarot card. On its surface, the figure was also Roxel, the Emperor, adorned with a magnificent headdress, dressed in vibrant garments, and carrying a staff with luggage slung over it—seemingly preparing to journey forth. His expression was full of anticipation, with a small dog trotting beside him, and at the top corner, brilliant starlight outlined the text: "Sequence 0: The Fool!" ps: First posted, then revised.