After Bernadette's prayers went unanswered, she carried the "lamp of wishes" to the window of the captain's cabin and gazed out upon the deep blue sea. She remained calm, neither restless nor attempting to use her own "prophecies," patiently waiting for events to unfold. After several minutes, a gray-white mist suddenly appeared before her eyes. Then, this mist took on a golden hue, as though coated with a thick, viscous glaze. Bernadette immediately lowered her gaze to the "lamp of wishes" in her hands, and there, at the wick of the spout, the flame began to burn on its own. Above the gray mist, within the ancient palace, beside the seat of the " Fool," a luminous spot that had swelled to the size of a human head instantly gave way to a faint, wavy, golden human figure. This figure's gaze pierced through the "luminous spot," through the gray-white mist, and settled upon the "worm vortex" devouring everything around it. Instantly, the figure's voice resonated throughout the "Fortress of Origin," solemn and majestic: "It has gone awry?" The tone of the "Lamp God" carried clear mockery, and he paid no attention to whether the frantic "Spirit Insects" could understand. At this moment, above the now-fragile "Fool's" seat, a strange luminous gate composed of countless light spheres emerged. It shimmered faintly, casting radiant glimmers that traced out a complex symbol in the air. This symbol had originally been etched behind the "Fool's" seat—half a "Eye of No Pupil" and half a "Twisted Line." As the symbol solidified, the strange glow gradually faded, eventually dissolving completely into the space around it. The very next second, a voice in the form of the "Fool's" symbol transmitted from within—Clayne's voice: "Lamp God, I'd like to make a deal with you." The hazy, distorted figure of golden light burst into laughter: "Hah! I've said it before—you'd eventually agree." "After laughing for a few seconds," the Luminary calmed and said, "I've been thinking all along—how could it be so easy for me to lose control when I'm becoming the new master of 'The Source Keep'? This is precisely what I've prepared for the worst-case scenario." The voice within the 'Fool' symbol remained calm and composed. The Luminary chuckled softly, "Are you afraid I might raise my price at the last minute?" Klein's voice resonated once more from within the symbol of the "Fool": "The promise I have made is that, before the end of Year 1368 of this age, I will carry this 'lamp of wishes' into the stars. As for how you will free yourself thereafter, that is entirely up to you. My request is simpler—only two wishes." "This is the deal. Whether you accept it is entirely your decision." Year 1368 is the year the 'First Barrier' vanishes, the date universally recognized by seers as the 'end of days.' The faint, shimmering golden figure, blurred and distorted, remained silent for several seconds before speaking: "If the seal remains unbroken, the wishes I can fulfill are quite limited. Once I surpass a certain threshold, they will be realized in a profoundly distorted manner." Within the luminous symbol of the "Fool," Klein's voice remained steady: "The two wishes I need can be granted by you right now." The "Lamp God" remained silent once again, speaking not for a long while. ........ Bayam, within the ancient forest. Veldu, whose mind had warmed due to both internal and external causes, did not waste time. Following the instructions of the "God of War," he transformed the altar, inscribing upon it the correct symbolic signs, magical seals, and strange patterns. He had initially been concerned that the three half-divine monsters might suddenly awaken, but when the ritual was ready, the sacrificial beings remained unconscious and unable to resist. After placing the writhing masses, the deformed star-bird, and the white raven with black eye-rings in their proper positions, Veldu turned to the single candle on the altar, raised his hand, and lit it. Then, he stepped back several paces and solemnly recited in the language of the giants: "Great Gate of a Hundred Doors; Guide of the Infinite Starry Sky; Key to all mysterious worlds. I invoke you, I pray that you respond, that you descend upon this world..." As he finished speaking, three sharp thuds resonated successively within the altar. The three half-divine monsters corresponding to the "Witch-Weaver," "Seer-Mage," and "Parasite" seemed to be gently held by an invisible hand, only slightly struggling before bursting open, transforming into clusters of blood and flesh glowing with points of varying colors. These clusters of flesh appeared to possess their own vitality, gathering in the air under an inexplicable force, forming one after another strange and impure symbols. Innumerable such symbols combined together, slowly coalescing into a massive, pulsating door of living flesh—over five meters tall. This door stood upright on the altar, its interior dark, its destination unknown. The candle representing "The Door" man surged with a sudden burst of flame, illuminating the entire "flesh door" and the surrounding darkness. Within that darkness, one after another faint star-like luminous spheres gathered—upon closer inspection, each seemed to be a peculiar, bent-bodied creature. The luminous spheres surged upward swiftly, forming a colossal arm that struggled even to pass through the "Gate of Flesh"—an arm clearly not of human origin. It pressed firmly against the altar, pushing outward with such force that the entire "Gate of Flesh," the forest, the island itself, trembled as if struck by an earthquake. Within the illuminated darkness beyond the door, one surge of massive lightning after another formed a storm, descending only to be swallowed whole by an unexpected tide of blood-colored water. Finally, a colossal figure composed entirely of pure "light spheres" pierced through the "flesh gate." The very next instant, those "light spheres" began to collapse and stack upon one another, as if undergoing a transformation capable of bringing about a fundamental change. In the surrounding forest, one after another, dark rifts emerged from the void. These rifts directly consumed various parts of the trees, distorting their forms. At the same time, gusts of wind—unaccountably arising from within the rifts—blasted outward in all directions, causing the entire Blue Mountain Island where Bayam stood to tremble as though it might sink. Inside the Sea Church, where Aljer Wilson had been troubled by the fact that Veldu's "transmission" had left him unable to monitor the situation, he suddenly heard the sound of one door opening after another. Each door, located at different places and positions across the city, opened on its own at this very moment. "This..." Aljer turned his head toward the forest outside the city, which seemed to be the source of the anomaly. Clunk! As the door opened, Deric, who had already woken up from the earthquake in the city of New Silver, furrowed his brow. Clunk! Clunk! Clunk! In Becland, Trier, Saint Milon, and other cities, every object that could be called a door opened simultaneously. ........ Above the gray mist, within the partially collapsed ancient palace, the frantic "worm vortex" attacked the pale golden figures and the "Fool" symbol, but failed to make any progress. A minute passed, and then the "Lamp God" suddenly chuckled. "You are indeed not Him. Otherwise, I would have twisted your earlier promise, allowing Him to dissolve the seal on his own." "Only the original owner's words can achieve this effect? That was precisely how you identified me as not the 'Master of Mysteries' last time?" Klein's voice emanated from within the "Fool" symbol. "The Lamp Deity" exhaled, saying, "For Him, I have at least ten ways to identify." Without waiting for Klein to respond, the pale golden figure smiled and continued, "Your current state seems to be sustainable for only a short while. Very well—the agreement is sealed. Before the end of this era in 1368, you must deliver the 'Wishing Lamp' to the stars." The Lamp Deity's voice grew increasingly solemn, as though announcing a legal statute. At this moment, it appeared that the Deity had established certain rules based on this transaction, ensuring that Klein would not later regret or renounce his commitment. "Should you fail to fulfill this promise, even if you have become the 'Master of Mysteries,' you shall fall and be divided as a result." "The Lamp Deity" offered a remark and then asked, "State your two wishes, but be mindful not to invoke any exceptionally high-level extraordinary traits, nor exceed the current limits of my capabilities—otherwise, your wishes will be fulfilled in a distorted manner. This is already established protocol, and at this moment, I cannot deviate from it." Within the luminous outline of the " Fool" symbol, Caine's voice remained calm: "My first wish: to have the two prior wishes made by Bernadette Gustave counted under my name. This should be straightforward for you." The Lamp Deity immediately chuckled, "Indeed, you intend to leverage the rule that any adverse consequences arise when a third wish is made—precisely, this stems from my very nature. I shall grant your wish, though you shall suffer a painful demise." Caine's voice resumed: "My second wish: to have my 'Utopia' manifest a corresponding region within the spiritual realm." This has nothing to do with sequence advancement or the more elevated, extraordinary qualities—definitely something you can achieve." The faint golden figure of the Lamp God swayed slightly, smiling. "Your wish shall be fulfilled."