City of Silver, atop the circular tower, the chief suite. Colin Iliat, with white hair and an old scar across his face, gazed out the window into the deep darkness until a sudden burst of silver-white brilliance erupted in the distance, bringing a few seconds of light, then turned his gaze, nodding gently: "Hilmon has successfully advanced...". His eyes then settled on the young man standing at the center of the room, barely two meters tall: "Derek, do you know why, after my initial exploration of the 'Kingdom of the Giants' and my promotion to Sequence 3 'Silver Knight,' I have consistently delayed implementing my subsequent plans?" Derek thought for a moment and replied: "Chief, you've been looking for alternative routes to reach the coast, and you've also been waiting for one of the other elders in the 'Six-Body Council' to advance to Sequence 3." Now both aspects have been accomplished: Five months ago, an exploration party from Silver City discovered a hidden path that circumvented the mountain range where the King's Court of the Giants stood, leading directly to the seashore. Yet that sea was illusory—truly impassable; attempting to cross would gradually dissolve the body. Now, Wyt. Hilmun, the other half-god of the Six Councilors, has finally ascended to become a Silver Knight of Sequence 3, earning his own distinguished name and the ability to respond to prayers from residents of Silver City within a certain radius. Kolin Iliat exhaled, saying, "Well then—clear and comprehensive understanding of the situation." "If it weren't absolutely necessary, I truly wouldn't want to bring you all back into the 'Kingdom of the Giants' to attempt opening the palace where the 'Dark Angel' is asleep..." Pausing slightly, the 'Hunter of Monsters' Colin continued: "I have no idea just how great the dangers of such an expedition might be, so I've made every possible preparation. Now that Hilmon has finally succeeded, even if unforeseen circumstances arise and we are unable to return, he and the other elders will be able to uphold the Silver City, ensuring that everything continues to function and that we can wait for the next opportunity." He studied Deric for a few seconds, then nodded in agreement: "Your growth has surpassed my expectations. If it weren't for the matter of the 'Kingdom of the Giants' originating from your initiative, I would have genuinely wanted to keep you in the Silver City as a designated预备 elder of the 'Six-Member Council.'" Hearing this, Deric. Berg responded without hesitation: "Even if you wish to keep me in the Silver City, I will still request to go." "This is the dawn he has seen—the very opportunity in his heart that could save the city of Silverdale, for which he is willing to give everything. Colin Iliad, rarely smiling, now offered a faint smile: "You're still too young. When you've lived through as much as I have, you'll realize that enduring humiliation and resignation in the darkness—bearing the weight of quiet suffering—is far more difficult and painful than rushing forth with a sword, full of passion, to make a heroic sacrifice. If you don't believe me, simply ask Hilmon later: would he rather lead an exploration party to the 'Kingdom of the Giants,' or stay in Silverdale?" "Derek" hummed, "We've gathered everything—only the ritual remains to be finalized." His ritual requires stripping away the strongest, most reluctant emotions and then reintroducing them after consuming the potion. Through several gatherings of the Tarot Circle and private efforts by Miss Justice, a well-developed plan has now emerged: leveraging the Sequence 4 "Manipulator's" mastery over the mental realm, using the "Adept of the Fool's" "Angel's Embrace" as the focal point. "The Hunter" Colin made no prompt, simply stated calmly, "Don't rush—our second exploration of the 'Giants' Court will have to wait a while." "Until I become the 'One Without Shadow'?" Derek asked proactively. Colin Iliad did not deny it, merely nodded slightly, "We're also waiting for Lovira to become the 'Black Knight'—her materials and ritual are already prepared." Upon hearing this, Derek immediately felt a sense of pressure. ……The capital of the Rosethorn Isles, "The City of Generosity" Bayam, the summit of the bell tower of the Sea Church. Cardinal of the Storm Church, Senior Prelate of the "Accomplisher," "Sea King" Ayn Cortman stands behind the railing, gazing at the sea that is no longer as blue, and at the shipwrecks floating upon it, now ablaze with flames. "Hmph. Even the 'War Bishop' shall have to bow in my waters..." This half-god, with a muscular frame and a face etched with strong, firm lines, murmurs as he withdraws his gaze. He has thick, deep-blue hair like that of a small insect and deep-blue eyes, commanding the weather and seas surrounding the Rosethorn Isles. Standing beside him, Algier Wilson shows no sign of impatience, patiently waiting for Ayn Cortman to turn his attention to himself. — Those exceptional seafarers of the "Mariner's" path, besides being generally more temperamental, often feel a tremor of deference when facing higher-ranking peers of the same path—a trait rooted in the nature of the "Autocrat." After a quiet moment, King Ayan Kortman finally turned his gaze toward Alghe, the leader of a fleet of "pirates," and said with no expression, "Your performance this time has been quite commendable. The枢机会议has approved your review and has decided that I shall preside over your promotion ceremony." Following the reception of Highshinam, the "Queen of the Catastrophe,"'s legacy, Alghe had seized the opportunity to report this matter to King Ayan Kortman. He began by recounting his journey into the primitive forest of Sunia Island in search of elven ruins, giving a faithful account of his experiences, with only two details modified: first, he described the initiative to reach the elven ruins as being a deliberate setup by the garrison stationed to ambush the Vosak people, who had specifically sought out an appropriate location—an arrangement confirmed by several sailors present at the time; second, he downplayed the autonomy of his subsequent actions, stating that on the night of his exploration, he had dreamed of a female high elven noble, had drunk a cup of wine from her, and thereafter experienced no unusual occurrences, so he had not given it much thought. It was only when he arrived at the Rosted Islands that, one evening while asleep, he suddenly awoke to find himself inside a magnificent underwater palace, having picked up a coral that glowed with electric light. Although multiple testimonies and physical evidence supported the authenticity of Alje's account, the "Sea King" Aen Cortman remained unconvinced and sent him back to Pasu Island for review by Pope Cadar II. With the "Divine Embrace," Aljer appeared trembling before that autocratic presence, openly admitting that after encountering the female high elf in his dreams, he had developed a certain ambition and had thus voluntarily journeyed to the Roseth Island to claim his inheritance. Yet, he concealed the most crucial secret—the most serious issue. By openly expressing his ambition, he successfully passed the examination. As for whether the female high elf had recognized his elven lineage, granted him a fortunate encounter, or harbored some hidden purpose, he remained uncertain and hoped the Most Esteemed Pope would investigate and provide clarity, thus giving him peace of mind. Aljer demonstrated his fear of the unknown, which convinced the cardinals that this was the primary reason for his report. The plan was Aljer's own conception, refined with suggestions from the Lady Justice, making each element more grounded in human nature. Of course, as expected, after that, Aljé did not await a formal promotion ceremony, but entered a period of evaluation— the Most Holy Pope of the Storm Church, the Angel of the Earth, had reinforced the seal within Aljé’s body, preventing the "Master of Disaster" trait from seeping through and affecting him for two years. Over this half-year period, Aljé led the pirate fleet assigned to him, consistently harassing the ships of Fasak and Feneport, even directly participating in naval battles, earning repeated commendations at considerable risk, thereby demonstrating his unwavering devotion to the Storm Sovereign and his strict adherence to the Church’s commands. Finally, following the recent Battle of Rosted, as circumstances grew increasingly difficult, he received recognition from the Cardinal Council. Aljé took a deep breath and then clenched his right fist against his left chest, shouting aloud: "By the Storm!" His excitement was partly performance, partly genuine—because over the past several months, he had truly endured significant pressure: The "Recluse" lady had fully absorbed the "Mystic" potion and was now preparing for promotion to Sequence 3, "Seer"; The "Justice" lady, though still in the process of fully absorbing the "Influencer" potion, had made substantial progress as well. Initially a complete newcomer when she joined the Tarot Circle, she had now evolved into a true half-divine, half-human being—rising not just one sequence, but a whole level above Aljé; Soon, "The Sun" will be promoted to Sequence 4, "The Unshadowed," attaining divinity; "The Star" has fully absorbed the Sequence 5 potion and accumulated considerable merits, awaiting an opportunity from the upper echelons; "The Magician" lady, through repeated journeys, is nearing completion of her potion absorption, and her teacher has already prepared the materials for the Sequence 4 "Secret Mage" potion; As for "The World," Germaine Spalro, it would hardly surprise Aljé if he suddenly declared himself an angel; Currently, "The Judge" lady holds the Sequence 5 Faced with these circumstances, as one of the most experienced members of the Tarot Circle, Algier certainly didn't want to be left behind. He was eager to advance to Level 4 and become a half-god. Over these many days, he had consistently suppressed his inner restlessness, patiently waiting—until he experienced two episodes of loss of control, necessitating treatment from the "Justice" lady. Now, at last, he had finally received the answer he most desired: passing the assessment and preparing for the ritual!