"0–02"... Cain repeated the designation in his mind, feeling the issue might be more complicated than he had anticipated. While it couldn't be said that "0–02" was certainly more terrifying than "0–05"—after all, the "wish-granting lamp" was an outer god sealed within, more powerful than any of the current true gods, capable of even destroying the world or even the entire galaxy if its shell were removed—having a lower number generally implied that "0–02" posed a greater danger and required more difficult containment under most circumstances. Its ranking as second among the "0"-level entities assigned by the Seven Divine Churches at the end of the Fourth Age, just behind "0–01," made its terrifying nature entirely understandable. Yet, during the divine wars, the "War God" seemed to have never utilized this sealed entity. Was it simply unsuitable for direct combat, or was it simply too dangerous—threatening to both allies and enemies alike? A cascade of thoughts flashed through Caine's mind. His expression grew steadily more serious. "Madam, do you have any information regarding '0–02'?" Arianna slowly shook her head. "When the various churches communicate about '0'-level and '1'-level sealed items, they only assign numbers." That made sense. Even within the churches themselves, information about '0'-level sealed items was strictly confidential. As senior officials, they often only accessed relevant documents when personally assigned to a specific '0'-level sealed item, and there was a significant probability that their memories of those items would be erased afterward—partly to prevent the leakage of critical information, and partly because merely gaining awareness of certain '0'-level sealed items could itself pose a threat, or even cause the seals to fail. Caine nodded thoughtfully. "Have you already taken over the War God Church?" Then he could access all the documentation related to '0–02'. Arianna glanced toward Roy and the others, saying, "Before Lirion fled, he destroyed all the Level-0 seal material records." Impressive... such a cautious one is truly unbearable. Thinking it over, Caine asked, "What does the goddess have to say about '0-02'?" In his view, the Goddess of Night and the War God were contemporaries, both overseeing the realm of 'Secrecy'; thus, the goddess likely had some familiarity with the latter. Moreover, seal materials of the '0-02' level would have left historical traces—perhaps even caused several major disasters—so it's unlikely that the high-ranking figures of that era would have been unfamiliar with them. Arianna seemed to have already reflected on these points, responding smoothly and without hesitation, "In an ancient prophecy, the goddess referred to '0-02' as the 'Codex.'" "The Rulebook..." This is even more terrifying. Klein's eyes grew slightly focused, and a number of associations formed. In his previous life, he had been an avid game enthusiast with a broad range of interests, though not deeply immersed—so the term "Rulebook" was entirely familiar to him. At that moment, Arianna added, "The fact that you've just happened to arrive in Belladon might also reveal some of the characteristics of '0–02.' " Indeed, it's quite normal that Arianna, following the Great Patriarch Laryon, would end up in Belladon and encounter this transformation. Yet the fact that I've just happened to be here feels unusually coincidental. In esoteric studies, excessive coincidence often implies something is amiss. Is someone orchestrating my presence, or is the Law of Convergence of Exceptional Traits simply taking effect? Given the current situation, the arrangements lack sufficient purpose to substantiate them, and as I have already become the master of the "Source Fortress," I've already sensed a certain anomaly—however subtle—throughout. If the Law of Aggregation of Exceptional Properties is at work, excluding the exiled "Gate" gentleman and the ancestral lineage of Antigonus sealed within the Mist Town, only Charathus and Amun could have produced such a significant impact on me. Yet, I have consistently avoided Charathus, and Amun's true form is currently being pursued by the "True Creator"—a mere incarnation simply cannot generate such a strong aggregative effect. Hmm. There's another possibility: the Law of Aggregation among Source Substances. Perhaps "0–02" is drawing the "Source Fortress," which is why I've just arrived in Beltrand today. If that's the case, even if "0–02" itself is not a Source Substance, it must certainly be connected to one. Suddenly, Klein, who had long suspected this, now has a clearer, though still somewhat vague, sense of what "0–02" is. He paused to reflect: "Given the course of events, the rules are becoming increasingly rigorous and diverse. That yellow sheet is proof of that—does this not indicate that the level of activation or awakening of '0–02' is deepening gradually?" Arianna nodded calmly: "Yes. We must find it and seal it before certain circumstances arise. Therefore, it would be best to act independently, broaden our search scope, and conserve time as much as possible." Klein agreed without hesitation. He then asked: "Madam, do you not consider this a breach of confidentiality?" "No," Arianna replied with clear precision. "A breach of confidentiality occurs only when any information about Belland's transformation is conveyed to the outside world." "This effectively cuts off our substantive connection with the outside world... That's manageable, at least—we won't have to worry about everyday conversations breaking down. All we need to do is avoid using any strong language. Klein breathed out silently, then asked, "Do the 'Night Watchers' and the 'Substitutes for Punishment' also adhere to the rules outlined in the announcement?" "Yes," Arianna confirmed, and then her figure gradually faded, disappearing into the background. After watching the院长 of the Abbey of the Night depart, Klein quickly organized the information he had just received in his mind, gaining a clearer sense of what might unfold next: combat would not be the primary focus; the key issue would be whether they could promptly locate '0–02' and devise a way to seal it. Throughout this process, the visitors would face increasingly intricate and difficult-to-follow rules, as well as a growing number of citizens who would be compelled to comply. Thinking of this, Caine turned his gaze toward Roy and Pascha, who were nearby, and smiled, asking, "What do you think about what we just heard?" After exchanging a glance, Roy and Pascha said, "We aren't entirely clear about what a 'Level 0' seal object is, but we can reasonably assume that '0-02' is an exceptionally powerful item—one that can establish rules and, to some extent, rewrite reality. Moreover, such anomalies seem to evolve and intensify over time. "Also, the Grand Patriarch of the War God Church must be a truly remarkable extraordinary being." Caine lightly tapped his hands and smiled, saying, "That's about right. If we don't make any effort and simply rely on hiding and avoiding danger, we'll find ourselves needing to pay attention to more and more behaviors—so much so that we might inadvertently commit offenses. Hah! Perhaps, in the end, we'll be executed on the spot simply for stepping with our left foot first when we leave the house." "This statement left Pascha, Byers, and the others deeply unsettled—initially it sounded quite amusing, but upon closer reflection, one could sense an undercurrent of profound dread. After a few seconds, Pascha spoke with serious gravity: 'Moreover, citizens can use every means to oppose us, yet we are unable to mount an effective counterattack, because murder and intentional injury are both serious offenses...' 'We can attempt to deceive their senses, but only up to a point,' said Kline casually. 'What we need to do now is quickly identify the inherent patterns that govern "0–02," so that we can locate and seal it before it fully activates or develops true intelligence. What are your thoughts?' Klein snapped his fingers. "Excellent. I can already summarize a pattern: '0–02' cannot penalize those who haven't committed a crime." Byers replied immediately: "Yet it enables citizens to pursue foreigners, who are not necessarily guilty." "That does indeed seem to contradict the earlier rule," Klein responded with a smile. "Still, throughout history, many cities have enacted laws discriminating against or expelling foreigners at various stages. Have you drawn out any deeper patterns from this situation?" The four extraordinary beings successively furrowed their brows, uncertain about what the powerful 'mage' intended to convey. After a brief silence, recalling the question about whether a certain action constituted fraud, Pascha hesitated and said: "Is it necessary for the rules established by '0–02' to align with public perception and gain a certain level of recognition?" "An excellent insight." "Klein nodded in agreement. "This was my initial hypothesis, formed based on the edict concerning the capture of foreign residents, and has now been preliminarily confirmed by your earlier feedback. It can serve as a second rule, helping us determine which actions constitute crimes and which do not." Seeing that Pascha had received praise from the powerful 'mage' twice, Roy quickly added, "The edicts will continuously accumulate, growing increasingly complex and cumbersome, thus constraining us so that no matter what we do, we will inevitably face penalties. For instance, on top of capturing foreign residents, we could introduce additional offenses such as unauthorized entry into private homes and prohibitions against using the restroom at will. Over time, this will make our situation progressively more difficult." Klein merely nodded, showing his agreement, when a sudden inspiration struck him. He instinctively lifted his head toward the bulletin board and noticed a piece of vellum had appeared there at some point: "Curfew order..." "Hm," Pascha and the others noticed the change as well, their pupils momentarily widening. It was now well past dusk; if they stayed outside any longer, they would violate the curfew regulations, facing increasing penalties—gradually escalating until, in the worst case, they might be sentenced to death. "Let's go," Cline said, brushing a hand over the tall hat resting atop his head, a smile playing on his lips. "Our objective is likely a book—perhaps still on the hands of that High Patriarch, or perhaps already hidden somewhere. My instinct tells me it's more likely the latter, since the item is so dangerous to anyone who possesses it, and that danger only grows over time. Of course, this assumption holds true only if the High Patriarch hasn't gone mad and is merely using the '0–02' as a means to create space and escape the trackers' pursuit. "By the way, I almost forgot to tell you—The Patriarch is an angel walking upon earth." The angels... Roy and Pasah, and the others, froze mid-step.