...the primordial island accidentally discovered by the Great Emperor... the creatures on the island venerate an unknown power originating from "the Starry Sky"... even a mere understanding of this power, falling short of angelic levels, will contaminate them... try to avoid making wishes to the "Lamp Deity" and refrain from taking it to that ancient island... "The Celestial Commander" Gardeleia finally received a response from the "Fool" gentleman, breathing a sigh of relief while simultaneously growing more concerned about the Queen's exploratory journey. She glanced at the "Lamp Deity," which showed no reaction, quickly gathered it up, then unfolded a sheet of paper, picked up her pen, and carefully recounted the just-acquired information in her own words, aiming to capture the attention of the "mysterious Queen" Bernadette... Huo, already established as a mid-level officer at MI9 with two subordinates at his side, stood before the man, holding a three-edged spear, and spoke in a steady tone: "We have sufficient witnesses and evidence proving that you are one of the primary organizers of this demonstration. If you wish to mitigate your penalties, you must honestly answer my questions." Even before Huo had finished speaking, the man with a beard felt an overwhelming sense of pressure. By the time she finished, his spirit had visibly trembled—as though waves of electric currents were gathering, causing sharp stings and numbness, ready to surge at any moment. Struggling to overcome his fear and frailty, the bearded man said: "No one has instructed me. I am simply doing what I have long desired. Don't you see? The entire Beckland has become a powder keg. Even a single spark could ignite the whole city. And how many sparks like mine—those who can no longer endure and are willing to take risks—are there?" "The damn nobles and merchants have hoarded so much grain, yet people in the eastern district are already starving! How do you want to handle things—I'll go with whatever you decide. I've never trusted their promises. Back when we agreed to end the demonstrations, it was because everyone had received a fair share of food." Just as Hux had been about to ask something more, he suddenly turned his head, listening intently to the sounds coming from afar. A deep, resonant, rumbling noise rose from somewhere—layer upon layer, rolling steadily. Had the armies of Varsak, or Intis, or Feneport broken through the resistance and begun attacking the Bekland defenses? Hux's expression immediately grew serious. ... In the Land of Divine Abandonment, after returning to the real world, Kline immediately reached out, trying to pull the "Lamp of Wishes" from the veil of history. Soon, he confirmed that the sealed object designated as "0–05" could not be summoned. Indeed, it was tied to the concept of "uniqueness"—or, more precisely, to the "primordial essence"? In short, the "Lamp Deity" is indeed a high-level entity sealed away, with at least the rank of Archangel—completely unutilizable. Klein exhaled, shifting his focus back to the pursuit of the hunting Uan Dark Wolf, Cotar. He had made extensive preparations and refined the entire plan over the gray mist. Yet, he did not rush into action; instead, he spent considerable time reviewing potential weaknesses and strengthening the less solid elements. Two or three days later, under a deep, still darkness, in the desolate, lifeless wilderness, Klein—whose divination had been prematurely disrupted—wore a half-high silk hat, a long black coat, and carried a lantern emitting a dim, yellow glow. With a composed expression, he extended his right hand and gently reached into the air. At that moment, a lightning bolt flashed, illuminating the entire world. Immediately, a human figure emerged—Klein himself, now holding a phantom "Star Staff" and the lantern. Immediately thereafter, his true form plunged into the historical haze, sprinting back to the dawn of the First Age and taking refuge within the layered, ancient urban complexes. His historical projection came vividly to life, and within his mind, one of the terrains he had surveyed during this period emerged clearly. Using the power of the "Staff of Stars," he directly transported himself there. ——This spatial separation from his true body meant that even if the projection faltered, no one could pinpoint the exact location where his true form would reemerge into reality. Surveying the scene—dry riverbeds, towering stones standing like monstrous beings in the deep darkness—he ceased maintaining the historical projection of the "Staff of Stars." With a simple shake of his right hand, the staff swiftly faded and vanished. After completing these tasks, Caine walked to the massive stone, set down his lantern, and in the giant tongue, softly recited a title: "The Lord of Udnar, ever present with history; The embodiment of countless miracles; The deity who holds the power of wishes..." This was the title of the Udnar magical wolf that Caine had received from the Goddess of Night. Though the mythical being may no longer use this title, or may have altered it in some way, within the realm of mysticism, this title undoubtedly points to Him. Deep within the castle, in a hall illuminated only by flashes of lightning from the windows, a massive figure lay motionless in the darkness. "It" stood like a small mountain, covered entirely in dark, short fur, with its black pupils occupying at least three-quarters of its eyes. A tuft of gray-white fur adorned its forehead, and its head resembled a magnified, distorted wild wolf. This was "The God of Wishes," the dark magical wolf Cotar. Suddenly, this magical wolf—more imposing than an ordinary giant—lifted its head. Each strand of dark fur trembled, and at the same moment, every servant within the castle mirrored the movement. Cotar then gently shifted his gaze and tilted his head slightly, as though listening to something. The very next second, he opened his mouth and emitted a silent roar, summoning a second version of himself. As the second Cotar materialized, the original form of Cotar dissolved into a mist of gray and white and swiftly moved into a historical light spot from the Second Age. This was a secret history that Cotar had preserved. In the real world, the historical image of the Umbran Wolf, speaking in a cumbersome and intricate language, made a wish—then, in a flash, its form shifted directly to a mountain near the northern city-state of Noth. Only after completing the necessary preparations did this "God of Wishes" shed a single dark, short hair, transforming it into a spectral "spirit insect" that expanded into a corresponding luminous prayer point. Through this light, Cotar saw who was praying to him: a young man wearing an odd hat and strange garments, standing beside a glass lantern, softly reciting the sacred name of the "God of Wishes." Hmm… The Umbran Wolf's vast, black eyes turned, and it observed a layer of gray-white mist enveloping the young man, within which lay forms that were indistinct and undefined. As a Sequence 2 Angel of the "Seer" path, this mythical being clearly sensed the resemblance between the mist and the historical haze, and felt a strong attraction toward the forms hidden within it. …“The Source Citadel”? Kotal had heard fragments of this from the ancient god Fregrala, the Wolf King, and instantly formed several hypotheses. With that in mind, he began to imagine what the young man might be planning: "Use the 'Source Citadel' to draw me in, make me attack him, and then reverse-engineer my position? Is this a lure? Indeed, he is merely an image from within the historical fissure—his true form hidden somewhere within a fragment, his hidden observers unknown in their concealment... The Source Citadel clearly showed signs of disturbance previously, and I had maintained composure, deliberately not seeking out the affected regions or gathering residual clues. Yet, why do they believe I will fall for this now? Is it merely a trial—try it, and if it fails, try something else? Or is there something more subtle embedded within this prayer? Hah. I have lived for several millennia, witnessed countless events—what haven’t I seen?" "The best course of action now is simply to leave him be, to neither intervene nor watch closely—just remember him." The Umbran Magus Wolf quickly made up his mind, intending to observe a bit longer before extinguishing that prayer glow. At that very moment, he noticed the young man opening his mouth once again: "Everlasting Radiant Sun! You are the Unfading Light! You are the Embodiment of Order!" ...The Umbran Magus Wolf found himself somewhat puzzled by what this young man seemed to be trying to achieve. In this abandoned place, prayers directed toward other true deities were utterly ineffective! The very next instant, Caine recited the divine names once more: "Lord of All Creation! Ruler behind the Veil of Shadows! The Inherent Fallen Nature of All Beings!" The Umbran Magus Wolf's pupils slightly widened, stirred by the actions of the human within the prayer glow. Before Amun could make his guess based on that, Caine softly recited the third name: "Manipulator of the clock's hands; Wanderer in the shadow of fate; Personification of deceit and mischief..." Amun... he was praying to Amun... The Umbran Wolf now had no idea what the young man intended, and instinctively sensed something was amiss, immediately preparing to erase the corresponding prayer glow. Suddenly, He saw the young man lift his head, a gentle smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Then, Caine produced a single lens made of crystal and placed it over his right eye. With just a single prayer, Caine's historical image had transformed into a manifestation of the渎神者 Amun! Almost simultaneously, the Umbran Wolf felt the young man's gaze passing through the prayer glow, then through himself, reaching toward the true self within the historical mist. Without hesitation, He instantly extinguished that prayer glow. And at the same time, His essence dissolved that gaze and released its hold on this historical projection. Within the historical haze, among the layered old cities, Kline suddenly stood up, a scene vividly forming in his mind. Just a few seconds before this scene took shape, he had severed the connection between His essence and the image of the historical aperture, to prevent Amun from using it to materialize beside him. The seemingly random actions he had undertaken earlier were primarily designed to confuse the Dark Wolf, ensuring that upon recognizing the prayerful one as not His true self, it would continue observing, accumulating the duration of its gaze upon "The Source Fortress." His final prayer to Amun was intended to leverage the potential arrival and influence of this "God of Deception" to mask the reverse contamination that "The Source Fortress" exerted upon the Dark Wolf. Should Amun remain silent and merely observe, Kline himself would be prepared with a single pair of glasses, ready to attempt a deception of the Dark Wolf.