Ever since she accepted the gift from the Sir of the Fool, Lady Judgment has always been both eager and anxious about the nature of her task. Her eagerness stems from the certainty that accepting the gift will entail a corresponding cost—knowing the task in advance would eliminate uncertainty and thus prevent the mounting fear that arises from speculation. Her anxiety, on the other hand, comes from the fact that the reward she has received is exceptionally generous, and she firmly believes the task will not be simple, but will instead be fraught with danger. Now, after hearing the Sir of the Fool’s words, her heart, which had been trembling, finally settles into its natural place, and she quietly exhales. Investigating the whereabouts of the three Sequence-1 extraordinary characteristics and their respective singularities through the Red Priest’s path, and verifying the current state of the Primordial Witch—though indeed perilous, such that even a slight contamination could lead to terrifying transformations—is certainly demanding. Yet, it is still far less daunting than seizing the singularities and Sequence-1 extraordinary characteristics and facing the Primordial Witch directly. If it's the latter, even with official backing, Ruo still doesn't feel confident he can succeed—he can only prepare his will, ready to make the ultimate sacrifice. But if it's merely the former, certain clues can be gathered through more indirect, circuitous means, without having to confront powerful figures of high rank. As a sequence-4 half-god, Ruo believes he still has a reasonable chance. She didn't hesitate and immediately replied, "Yes, Mr. The Fool." The Fool, Kline, had intended to look toward the other side, but after a moment's thought, added, "Be cautious of Banxi." Before the members of the Tarot Circle could begin to draw connections, Kline turned to "Stars" Leonard and said, "Your task is similar to that of 'The Moon.' During the campaign against the Rose School, collect the blessings, essences, and items bestowed upon their members by the 'Desire Tree.' This too will be quite dangerous." He gave only a brief instruction, unlike when he had assigned tasks to "The Moon" Emlin. This is because there resides within Leonard a seasoned angel of the "Theft Path," one who possesses deep insights into hidden matters and understands just how dangerous the Outer Gods are—someone who will not allow Leonard to act without direction. As Leonard approaches, the " Fool" Kline maintains his previous tone and continues: "You need not do much in promoting my name; indeed, you might do nothing at all." As one of the twenty-two most powerful senior figures in the "Church of Night," and as one of the few senior stewards among the "Night Watch," Leonard would easily face complications if he quietly promoted the faith of the "Fool," risking misunderstandings and unnecessary conflicts among his colleagues. Yet remarkably, in Kline's eyes, the way "Moon" Emlyn acts seems entirely natural—his actions appear neither unusual nor disruptive to those around him or to the vampires. Indeed, the "Star" Leonard has regained his composure, no longer rushing ahead, and now recognizes the harsh realities of the situation. Yet, he still wanted to do something. At this point, the Fool, Kline, added: "You might focus on spreading the stories of 'the World' through poetic compositions." Poetic compositions... The Star, Leonard, instinctively furrowed his brow and did not immediately respond to the Fool. Kline then continued: "Beyond this, strive to elevate your own rank, preparing for the end times. All tasks will yield one wish as their reward." Though when the War God fell, many of his extraordinary traits had seeped into the real world, giving rise to a host of transcendent beings, mutated monsters, and anomalous lands, Kline was uncertain exactly how many of the Warrior Path's Sequence 1 extraordinary traits the Night Goddess had secured beyond her unique status in 'Dusk'; nonetheless, at least now, several of the Night Church's Sequence 2 angels now hold the potential to transition into Sequence 1. At the same time, if they acquire any surplus extraordinary traits, they can transfer to the corresponding sequence within the "Death God" path. This will open up pathways for the saints—not merely one, but multiple pathways. Of course, not every Sequence 3 saint aspires to become an angel, but Leonard currently holds only a Sequence 4 position as a "Night Watchman." Moreover, should the position of Sequence 3 "Fearful Bishop" be limited, he might also consider the "Silver Knight" and the " Ferryman"—the former already has an extraordinary trait available at Klein's. Leonard, the one associated with "Stars," paused silently for two seconds, then exhaled slowly: "Yes, Mr. The Fool." "The Fool" Kline immediately turned his gaze toward the "Justice" lady who had been waiting patiently: "Beyond promoting my name, your two tasks are: first, to assist in the 'Judgment,' investigating the uniqueness of the path of the 'Red Priest' and the whereabouts of the Sequence 1 extraordinary trait, and verifying the current state of the 'Primordial Witch'; second, to steadily elevate your own rank." One of these tasks is to raise my sequence... "Justice" Audrey found this assignment somewhat puzzling. To her, it seemed as though she were being asked to a common person: your task is to earn more money. Moreover, this holds little value for 'The Fool'—is it really to have me heal 'The World'? As this thought briefly crossed her mind, 'The Fool' Kline added: "The higher your sequence, the greater your chances of awakening 'The World.' In this regard, you may draw upon external support—Hermes' newly re-established Psychological Alchemy Society is one option, though you must remain cautious and vigilant." "For this, you must pay a certain price. You may also choose to forgo the compensation you've already received. It all depends on your will and your thoughts." "Justice" Audrey was unequivocal. After a brief pause, she nodded firmly: "Yes, Sir, 'The Fool'." The 'Fool,' Kain, turned his gaze to 'The Hangman' Aljer: "Wait a while, and you'll know what your task is." Kain had already envisioned the scene unfolding. Without waiting for Aljer to speak, he continued: "You may take the 'Trident of the Sea God,' but during this time, all prayers of the Sea God's followers will be transferred to 'The Sun,' directed straight at me." Although 'The Hangman' Aljer still couldn't clearly discern the nature of his own task, he already sensed something unfolding. After a moment's reflection, he responded with a composed demeanor: "Yes, Sir, 'The Fool'." Klein drew back his gaze, glanced around once more, and spoke slowly: "From now on, you may still gather here every first Monday afternoon each month, without a designated host. For any private, discreet small meetings, simply pray and wait for a response." As he said this, the " Fool" Klein closed his eyes. "This gathering concludes here." The Tarot members could not contain their unexpected sense of sorrow, as though a grand ball were drawing to a close. They rose together, and with solemnity, paid their respects at the head of the weathered long table: "Your will is our will." Only after they had finished did Klein release the sustaining presence, watching the deep crimson stars fade and scatter swiftly. He gazed at the scene for several seconds, then materialized a slightly yellowed vellum sheet and a dark red steel pen with a rounded body. After a moment's thought, Caine simply wrote: "Dear Mr. Azk, Due to some complex reasons, I may remain in a state of dormancy for a long time—unfortunately, I might not be able to write to you for quite some time..." With just that one sentence, Caine paused, and the pen vanished. ——Though the paper had materialized from his presence, at his current level, stature, and strength, it could endure for well over a century, even if carried outside. He closed his eyes again, summoned Azk's bronze whistle, and blew upon it. Meanwhile, he loosened a few constraints originating from the "Source Citadel" itself. The white-boned messenger appeared, each bone from head to toe vibrating intensely, as though about to collapse. Had Caine not handed over the letter, it might have immediately knelt and fallen to the ground. Once the messenger received the letter and promptly departed from the "Source Citadel," Caine raised a hand and rubbed his temple. This wasn't because the "Divine Sovereign's" will had awakened from eternal slumber, nor because his consciousness had been maintained with great difficulty—it was simply a habit. Cline sighed gently as he slowly leaned back against the chair's backrest. At either side of the weathered long table, the figures of "Justice" Odile, "The Tower" Aljer, "The Sun" Deric, "The Magician" Fols, "The Moon" Emlyn, "The Hermit" Gadelia, "The Star" Leonard, and "Judgment" Hugh reappeared in the order of their joining the Tarot Circle. This time, however, they were not real people—they were projections, no longer blurred or indistinct, fully revealing themselves as they appeared in Cline's memory. Then, more figures appeared: a mature man with receding hairline and deep, thoughtful eyes, a vibrant witch with blue eyeshadow and blush; a middle-aged man with silver streaks in his black hair and an unusually resonant voice; a woman in her late forties with a neat, short haircut, enjoying her meal while scrolling on her phone; a lively young girl laughing and chatting joyfully; a government employee who appeared slightly older than her peers and with a notably receding hairline; a young woman dressed in formal attire, focused and somewhat stiff; a young lady with a pale, doll-like complexion; a teacher with gentle features and a warm, copper-toned skin; a child licking an ice cream cone; a lady holding four heads; and an elderly man seriously reviewing his bill. He stood up after an indeterminate length of time, walked through them, and moved toward the deeper part of this space. Behind him, the figures, the candlelight, and the music gradually faded and disappeared. When the strange luminous gate rising above the gray, misty clouds came into view, Caine summoned "the Mirror" Arodos with a wave of his hand. At that moment, the translucent or opaque creatures, previously forming luminous spheres, had now fully fused into a single, dark greenish-black mass—resembling a thick veil of mist that obscured the view beyond the gate. Upon arriving here, Caine did not immediately enter; instead, he felt as though a monstrous, utterly terrifying entity lay concealed behind the gate, patiently awaiting to consume him. He raised his head and looked at the individual transparent "silk cocoons" suspended above the gate, at the humans within them—of varying skin tones but all appearing modern. Closing his eyes and sensing deeply, Caine then lifted his right hand and brought his five fingers together. One by one, the "silkworm cocoons" shattered, and the people within transformed into glowing points, drifting out of the "Source Fortress" and settling upon recently deceased individuals in the real world. After completing this, Caine lowered his head and looked at the "magic mirror" in his hands, asking: "Are you afraid?" The ancient silver mirror's surface rippled, and pale words emerged clearly: "Not afraid." The very next moment, Arodos, following protocol, posed his own question: "Great Master, are you afraid?" Caine's lips moved slightly. "Yes, I am." Then, he stepped forward, holding the "magic mirror," and walked through the shimmering, dark-green mist at the center of the strange gate. His figure vanished behind the gate, which seemed to conceal something unknown. The shattered "silkworm cocoons" continued to gently tremble. PS: Seeking double the monthly subscription during this period.