Regarding the ancient deities, Caine did not know any less than many high-tier强者—after all, behind him stood the Silver City, which had flourished since the Second Age, preserving corresponding myths and leaving behind numerous lasting influences. As far as he knew, the primordial phoenix, Greagal, was the so-called ancient death deity, who had been severely wounded and ultimately shattered at the end of the Second Age by the sun god, the creator of the Silver City, who had been devoured by the Angelic King. Though Greagal fell, his influence did not vanish. Even in the current age, traces of his legacy remain, for He was the founder of the Underworld! The City of the Dead… the "Unknown Spirits"... the Ancient Deities… these all sound extremely perilous. Caine gazed at the radio receiver before him, lost in thought. Ticking, the ethereal sheet once again unfolded a new segment: "Beyond these, I am rather unclear. 'Great Lord, I have a suggestion—would you like to hear it?" "That's a good question..." Caine gathered his thoughts and gave a gentle nod. "Go on." The rhythmic tapping of the radio receiver suddenly lightened, and soon, words appeared clearly on the ethereal sheet of paper: "Regarding Calderon, you may inquire of 'Red Light' El Moria." It still couldn't avoid 'Red Light'... Caine gave a slight nod and then asked, "If I reveal the mask of 'Lord of Hell' Ludewell, will there be any danger?" "NO!" the decisive word flashed into Caine's sight. That's promising. He paused a moment and said, "That will be all for now." "Great Master, wise Master—just a moment more, and eyes will be upon you! Your loyal servant Arodes awaits your next call. Goodbye~" The rhythmic tapping of the radio receiver showed no hesitation. Another minute or two? Why didn't they say so earlier? Klein was startled, as if witnessing the countdown of a time bomb, and immediately used the materials still on the altar, not yet withdrawn, to perform a new sacrificial rite, sending the radio receiver into the gray mist. Once everything was completed and he confirmed no unusual changes had occurred around him, Klein asked the secret figure, Lutherville, to step aside and take a position away from the front, so that he could remove the silver-white mask from his face. A deep, pale glow burst forth, though not as dramatic as the one Klein had seen during their previous battle, merely illuminating a small area around him, like a candle on the verge of extinguishing. At the same time, the surrounding jungle regained its earlier cold, dim atmosphere—this time, the sense of chill was more profound and unsettling, though its nature remained somewhat indistinct. This reminded Klein of the cemetery, of the legendary realm of the dead. After waiting a few seconds with no additional anomalies erupting, he had the other phantom, "Winner" Enzo, move around to directly face "General of Hell" Ludewil, carefully studying the face long concealed beneath the mask. The face lacked flesh—its skin pressed tightly against the bones, pale and translucent, like crystal. Beneath the crystal, intricate, indescribable transparent shadows flowed swiftly, occasionally merging with the skull or contracting into the crevices, appearing clearly on the teeth. Had Ludewil's appearance struck terror into the heart of Caine just a few months ago, upon his arrival, it surely would have. But now, having witnessed so many bizarre, uncontrolled figures and mutants, Caine was completely unimpressed by the extent of Ludewil's appearance. Through further observation, Caine fully understood Ludewil's condition. This stems from the very nature of the "Gatekeepers": once a remarkable being reaches Sequence 5 and becomes a Gatekeeper, they can use their physical bodies as prisons, housing a specific number of soul entities, the deceased, and natural spirits—thus gaining unique abilities and a powerful support force. As a result, they are often accompanied by an entire army of spirits, making them highly conspicuous. In many folk traditions, this has evolved into stories featuring "spirit companions" or "back-spirits." Another, even more ancient meaning of the term "Gatekeeper" refers to guarding the inner "Underworld" within the body, preventing the housed spirits from escaping and enabling the use of their energies—this too is symbolized by a pair of doors that open and close. When the ancient Death God, the primordial phoenix Grégal, established the Underworld, she granted a portion of the authority of the Death God's domain to all Gatekeepers, thereby enhancing the strength and capabilities of all remarkable beings in this sequence. Ludewell, the "General of Hell," has always worn that mask because he hosts a powerful entity from the Underworld. This being is both utilized by Ludewell and simultaneously erodes his body, transforming him into a being half-undead and half-human. At the same time, the entity instinctively connects to the Underworld, striving to open the gateway and return there. Combined with Ludewell's inherent abilities and authority as the "Gatekeeper," amplified by the Ring of Death, he is able to magnify the "Gate of the Underworld" and directly guide the *Black Tulip* through. Half-undead, half-human... it's no wonder Ludewell dares to enter the Underworld—true living beings cannot survive there even for a single second. Indeed, this Underworld entity grants Ludewell a unique condition of partial spectralization, allowing it to draw souls from others at a distance; I myself have experienced that before. With this realization, Caine gently had Ludewell re-don the silver-white mask. The mask's function is to calm the spirit beings within Ludeville, keeping them largely serene most of the time. Once the mystery was resolved, Kline turned his attention back to the altar. He wished to attempt establishing contact with the Seven Lights of the Spirit Realm. For this purpose, there are specific initiatory rites and corresponding mediumship rituals available. After careful consideration, Kline chose the latter. In the initiatory rites, he would need to open his heart and spirit, engaging directly with the entity to gain knowledge, strength, assistance, or spiritual experiences—thus making his own thoughts and inner secrets accessible to that entity. In contrast, the mediumship rituals allow for either direct communication or the request that the entity manifest physically. Given the exceptionally high status of the Seven Lights of the Spirit Realm, Kline could not guarantee that they would respond as required by the ritual. Therefore, although his intention was to achieve a dialogue through mediumship, he also prepared an additional element—inviting the Seven Lights to manifest—demonstrating his sincerity. Light the three candles, add the liquid essences such as peppermint. Carefully, Klein produced a paper figure and placed it upon the altar as the vessel for "spirit descent"—without such a medium, the sought-after spirit would descend upon him, much like when Daniz had summoned the "Ice Commander" Edwenna. This process unfolds in two ways: either the host loses full consciousness and is entirely controlled by the spirit, answering questions on its behalf, or the host remains conscious and retains partial control over certain bodily functions, enabling dialogue with the descending spirit. The simplest example is one who speaks with their mouth while another uses their hands to write. Klein swiftly completed the initial part of the ritual, then stepped back, opened his mouth, and recited in ancient Hermes: "I!" "I invoke by my name: 'I seek communion with the ever-luminous spirit of the celestial realm, the embodiment of boundless knowledge, the red form of power and will.'" A cold wind surged past, lifting all objects on the altar except for three candles. Among them, the paper figure wavered and rose upright, its surface instantly staining with a rich, clear, and notably bloodless red. "Good day," said Kline, recalling certain passages from mystical texts about the Seven Lights of the spirit realm, and speaking according to the refined interaction pattern he had summarized. He projected the demeanor of a student addressing a teacher. The paper figure, its head gently moving, emitted a voice that was ethereal yet authoritative: "Good day." Quite polite indeed... It had truly become a spirit manifestation rather than a mere spirit summoning—good thing he had prepared in advance. Thoughts racing through his mind, Kline responded sincerely and respectfully: "Lord El Moria, I would like to ask you a question." "You may call me El Moria. Please proceed." The figure floating in midair seemed to be engaging in a polite competition of courtesy. "I would like to know about the city of Caldrun." Klein did not alter his stance, for after all, the Empire of the Gourmands has a saying: "The more ceremonies, the less complaint." The pale, nearly translucent paper figure pondered for two seconds, then asked, "Might I know your purpose?" Klein did not hesitate, speaking openly, "To hunt the Spirit Realm raiders." The paper figure nodded slightly, "Indeed, only in Caldrón City are they easily found; elsewhere, the raiders blend into the sea like a single drop of water, hard to distinguish—indeed, I only spot them occasionally and cannot maintain a steady lock on them. They are active in the core districts of Caldrón City, with a smaller number scattered in the outer regions. Unless you attempt to delve deeper, the threat remains minimal. Unfortunately, certain unique conditions in that area prevent our seven lights from reaching you. Otherwise, we could offer tangible assistance." "Was that the former divine realm of the ancient goddess Greagal?" Klein's mind settled, and he asked a confirming question. Ming, the red paper figure, said, "Yes, the ancient Death God hoped to revive himself through this 'City of the Dead,' but He ultimately failed, and His authority was taken over by the Death God from Baylang. 'However, this has made the city of Calderon even more dangerous, as the arrangements left by the ancient gods underwent a transformation after the failure. I'm not entirely sure what form that transformation has taken.'" Ah, that makes sense... Klein gave a barely perceptible nod and then raised several further questions, each of which received reasonably satisfactory answers. ... Bayam, outside a house near the harbor. Alger and "Star General" Gardeleya were patiently waiting for the people inside to enjoy their dinner.