On the island of Lan Shan, deep within a primeval forest. Concerned that the official heralds might detect the ritual being performed outside the city, Verdu Abraham utilized the seal object to "transmit" himself from Bayam to this remote location. Gently touching his ribs, which now ached again, Verdu removed his classical robe and set it aside. Then, he arranged the altar, lit candles, and burned the appropriate essential oils, distilled waters, and herb powders. After completing these preparations, Verdu stepped back two paces, lowered his voice, and recited in ancient Hermes: "Great God of War; Symbol of Iron and Blood; Ruler of Discord and Conflict..." A low wind sounded, echoing continuously through the dense forest. As the trees' branches swayed gently, two of the candles on the altar suddenly crackled, their flames surging upward—expanding from "saplings" to "mature trees." At the same time, the color of the candles shifted from orange-yellow to bright white. The wind rushing through the forest grew stronger, and two towering columns of bright white flame intertwined, twisting into a blurred, immense form. At that instant, Verdu Abraham felt an indescribable gaze descending from above, settling upon him. He quickly lowered his head and spoke: "Great God of War, a humble servant seeks your aid." Throughout his speech, Verdu worked steadily to steady his mind, striving to remain calm. ——he had learned from a family manuscript that when praying to the "God of War," the most essential thing to do was to remind oneself not to be angry. The immense form composed of bright white flame continually surged out streams of flame, speaking in a language Verdu understood but could not identify as belonging to any known category: "Humble mortal, gods are not here to fulfill your wishes." "Speak, and state your plea; whether or not I shall fulfill it is entirely up to me." Veldu had already carefully prepared his response, and with a slight recollection, said: "Great God of War, how can I bring my ancestor, Mr. Berthold of Beersheba, back into the real world?" "A rite," the Flame Giant said, his voice deep and majestic, "a rite involving the sacrifice of one 'Witch-Weaver,' one 'Keeper of Secrets,' and one 'Parasite'—you should already be familiar with this." The same answer given by Dorian's student... Veldu sighed quietly: "Great God of War, if I wish to ask you to carry out this rite, what shall I offer?" The Flame Giant gazed down upon this 'Astrologer': "The price is not something you can offer—your pale, fragile soul lacks even the qualification to become mere ashes." As Veldu felt a wave of disappointment and profound discouragement, the Flame Giant continued: "But Mr. the Gate may." "And furthermore, I'm in a particularly good mood today. 'Offer me a portion of your blood as a seal for the pact, and in return, I will demand something from 'The Door' gentleman.'" Could that be any better? Vildu instinctively hesitated, but upon reflection, he found it entirely reasonable: Indeed, only the ancient ancestor Berthel Abraham was qualified to negotiate with such a hidden entity as 'The War God'! As for whether 'The Door' gentleman would agree to this exchange, Vildu had never even considered it—indeed, anyone placed in exile or sealed away would undoubtedly strive to break free, even if it meant making a significant sacrifice! "Yes, Most Noble War God," Vildu replied after a moment's thought, then, with a sudden burst of enthusiasm, agreed. He immediately modified the ritual, adding both the elements of sacrifice and bestowal, and used a steel dagger to pierce his arm, drawing out a few drops of dark red blood. When his blood turned into individual crimson "pearls," and after passing through the "Gate of Sacrifice and Bestowal," the area became profoundly dark, as though hiding countless monsters. The very next moment, a form emerged from behind the ethereal gate. It was a semi-transparent mass with smooth, slippery tendrils, upon which worms of various shapes constantly crawled in and out. Simply witnessing this creature caused Vildu's head to spin, as though he had been poured with a thick paste. At that instant, a patch of light fell upon him, enveloping his body and staining his vision with a fresh red hue. With this red glow, Vildu no longer experienced any discomfort when gazing directly at the mass. Then, another form was expelled from the "Gate of Sacrifice and Bestowal." This was a bird with a deformed head, each feather shimmering with a faint starlight, and its body adorned with rippling, insect-like radiance that periodically surged in and out. "The Star-Insect"... Is this a monster possessing the exceptional trait of a "Sorcerer of Secrets"? The one corresponding to the "Sorcerer of Mysteries" earlier—indeed, both "Sorcerer of Secrets" and "Sorcerer of Mysteries" are merely names of potions, not strictly referring to humans. The title of "half-god" is similar, unless specifically qualified as "half-human." With a deeper understanding of the path in which he now finds himself,维尔杜 has come to grasp the current situation. This means that the ritual to free the "Gate" Master can be performed using the half-gods corresponding to the "Seer," "Apprentice," and "Thief" as sacrificial offerings, without维尔杜 needing to personally intervene—greatly, the "God of War" has already prepared everything. This fills维尔杜 with难以 contained joy, and he eagerly watches the "Gate of Sacrifice and Bestowal," anticipating the emergence of the third offering. Only a single second passes before a cluster of objects emerges from the darkness behind the gate and lands upon the altar. This is a crow that has fallen into unconsciousness—of course, only in appearance resembling a crow. Around its right eye, there is a ring of black, and each feather on its body is nearly transparent, bearing one circular ring after another. "The monster corresponding to the 'Parasite'..." Veldu felt a surge of joy, sincerely praising the great "God of War." ........ In the Church of Bones. "Do you have only divinity left?" Kline asked, his voice low, gazing at the immense cross ahead. He believed that resurrection through a separated identity or personality would inevitably entail certain flaws—no matter how genuine the physical form, how exceptional the traits, or how strong the sense of self—would still fall short of perfection. Adam's behavior only deepened his doubts. Sitting beside him, dressed in a simple white robe, Adam remained expressionless, maintaining his preaching demeanor: "Yes. Only when I am united with 'Reality' am I whole." "Indeed..." Caine sighed. "Though the 'True Maker' is an embodiment of negative personality and intense emotions, has He not also inherited humanity?" "So, He's gone mad," Adam said, as if speaking to a stranger. Caine thought for a moment, reading the remaining content on the second 'Board of Defilement' while asking, "If they truly merge, who will hold the dominant position?" "That has been the competition we've been engaged in ever since we awakened," Adam said, releasing the silver crucifix pendant from his grasp. So that's why you secured the first 'Board of Defilement' through Amun, hoping to gain control over the 'Chaos Sea' and secure the initiative? Caine felt a sudden clarity, nodded slightly with a furrowed brow. "It seems you and the 'True Maker' have a strong understanding—He has never used your identity as a means to introduce external forces against you." "This is entirely between us." Adam replied calmly. After a moment of silence, Kline turned and fixed his gaze on the "Sacred Stone": "I always feel that the death of the 'Red Angel' and many events in the Fourth Age aren't as simple as they seem." Kline had been asking questions, probing for answers—not only seeking deeper secrets and knowledge, but also using this inquiry to buy time and maintain the current state of their interaction. Rather than being hypnotized by Adam and growing drowsy, or falling asleep outright, he preferred to remain alert. Thinking of this, Kline glanced again at the blood-stained cross-pole embedded in his chest, and felt the subtle, genuine sting it delivered. "Why do you say that?" Adam didn't answer—he simply asked, as though he were about to begin praying. Klein carefully weighed his words: "Before the return of the 'Black Emperor,' the Solomon Empire had only one true god—the 'True Maker'—and the unique status of the 'Red Priest.' The great noble houses and powerful factions that supported Alistair Tudo each held one of the four unique positions—the 'Idealist,' the 'Gate,' the 'Error,' and the 'Fool.' Together, even with the addition of Uloirius, the Angelic King, they still could not match the six true gods of the Night. Moreover, they still held unique positions such as the 'Judges.' " "Under such circumstances, even if you didn't formulate any specific plans against the 'Red Angel,' no one would question your authority. Of course, a mad 'Blood Emperor' might prove even more useful to you." Adam gazed steadily at the immense cross: "You don't understand because you haven't learned enough." "In the Quaternary Period, besides the three great empires and their divine patrons, the angelic kings behind them, there were also the orders of sorceress priestesses, the Moes Monastic Order, the craftsmen quietly infiltrating and evolving within the Deep, and the realm of Baylang on the southern continent. 'And this is not all—there are numerous other factors that are truly pivotal.' Kline nodded thoughtfully. 'For instance, the tensions among the Six Deities?' Adam smiled warmly. 'Not merely that.' Before Kline could ask further, Adam added calmly, 'You should have been to Bansi.' Kline's mind stirred; he opened his mouth, but couldn't find the words. Adam continued, 'Moreover, since my passing, the outer deities have deepened their encroachment upon reality.' ........ In the ancient palace above the gray mist, the 'prayer light' representing Bernadette continued to expand and contract, unduly responding, casting out ripples of light. This stimulated the vortex composed of the transparent worm-like tendrils, which wildly waved and whipped its slimy appendages toward that spot. After several missed attempts, one of its tendrils finally reached the correct "prayer light spot."