Additonal Chapter! Thank Xcolibor, Slesk, Some_Stone, and kingoftheworld for this additional chapter.
Enjoy!
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That said, practice makes perfect. With the experience from Mr. Door under his belt, Evah's corruption-cleansing technique was much smoother this time, his control more precise.
This round of purging also deepened his understanding of Outer God corruption and Nyarlathotep's power. He was confident that a few more tries would make him an expert in the field.
With that thought, Evah smiled at the Chained God, Torznar, who'd been standing there dumbfounded since the cleansing began, lost in who-knows-what thoughts. "This session can only go so far, or you won't be able to handle it. I'm sure Mr. Torznar doesn't want his future self turning into a dimwit, right?"
The Chained God, Torznar: …
Torznar didn't want to talk. He was starting to wonder if he'd escaped one predator only to stumble into another. Was this human-looking guy really human?
Torznar had his doubts, but he didn't dare voice them. Instead, he said gravely, "I understand. Thank you, Mr. Lucifer. You've given me a chance to break free from the Mother Tree's control."
"If Mr. Torznar really wants to thank me, how about joining the organization I founded?" Evah said with a smile, never one to miss a chance to pull some wool.
"…I'd be honored," Torznar replied. What else could he say? If he refused, what if this guy stopped helping him? He had to agree eagerly.
He then asked tentatively, "What's the name of your organization?"
"The Trickster Club. No need to be nervous—it's just a perfectly ordinary secret organization. For now, there's no real business, just occasional casual gatherings," Evah said, smiling. He could tell Torsner was on edge.
"Ahem, I'm not nervous," Torznar said, coughing awkwardly. "But I'm afraid my true body can't attend any gatherings right now."
"No problem. You can send some juniors to represent you," Evah said generously, still smiling. "You might want to talk to Reinette Tinekerr about this. She could help you catch up on what's happened over the years. After all, you probably trust her more than me."
Torznar's expression turned a bit sheepish.
Evah glanced at the silent Reinette Tinekerr, pulled out his pocket watch to check the time, and said with a smile, "You've got one minute. Make it count."
With that, he stepped out of the room, giving the god and His former Blessed some private space.
Outside, Evah tapped into his connection with the present-day Chained God and spoke, "You holding up, Mr. Torznar?"
"…Not great. Feels like ten Outer Gods had a brawl in my head. It's all madness and gibberish—honestly, kind of terrifying," Torznar's voice came through, weak and weary. The Mother Tree had cut Her link to Evah, but not Evah's to Torsner.
"Sounds rough," Evah remarked, then grinned. "But it's still better than being completely submerged, right?"
"…True," Torsner sighed. "I can probably stay lucid a bit longer. Is there anything you need me to do?"
"Just give me some of your blood," Evah said, smiling. "That's all. Maybe keep an eye on your kids when you get the chance."
"I can't control Suah…" Torznar gave a bitter laugh. Though he was a King of Angels, and Suah was technically his child, how could he manage the Mother Tree's offspring?
"Then don't worry about it," Evah said, sparing a second of sympathy for the guy. By any measure, Torznar was one of the most tragic Kings of Angels.
They didn't chat further—Torznar's lucid moments were fleeting. He quickly performed a bestowal ritual, delivering what Evah requested.
"Well, goodbye for now, Mr. Torznar. Here's hoping your situation's better next time we meet," Evah said, cutting the connection. He tossed the glass vial in his hand, filled to the brim with blood. Torznar was nothing if not generous.
"Goodwill's shot up nicely. I can even borrow Sequence 3 Disciple of Silence powers now. Tch, nothing builds rapport like offering hope in despair, especially when their will's shaky," Evah mused, gauging the extent of Torsner's powers he could tap. For a moment, he genuinely considered "rescuing" him for real.
As for whether the Mother Tree would notice him after all this? Evah shrugged. Let Her notice. She couldn't cross the barrier, and if She sent Torznar, the Rose School's top fighter, Evah would just "treat" Him on the spot, making Her lose both the battle and the war.
As for Suah…
"Sure, I can't take on a Sequence 1 right now, but it's not like they can just pop up anywhere. Even if they do, Adam's probably lurking nearby and could handle them. Worst case, I call in reinforcements. No big deal—Outer Gods have way more enemies than I do."
Evah wasn't fazed. He was certain the Mother Tree couldn't pinpoint him through the barrier unless he strolled into Her influence zone, and even then, it was a slim chance.
"When I'm strong enough, maybe I'll go fishing…" Evah muttered, scheming up some mischief as he tucked away Torznar's blood vial and returned to the house.
The past Torznar had clearly finished talking with Reinette Tinekerr. Seeing Evah return, Reinette spoke first:
"I can…" "represent the Chained God…" "and attend…" "your gatherings."
"Welcome to the Trickster Club, Miss Reinette," Evah said, having no objections. He smiled and pulled a badge from his pocket.
The badge had a red background, adorned with black curves forming countless overlapping shadows. Each shadow wore a different mask, clustering around a central, peculiar symbol. It wasn't a character known to anyone in this world, yet anyone who saw it would understand its meaning—"Joy."
This was a specialty from Evah's pre-transmigration world, tied to a secret society worshiping Yog-Sothoth, possibly blessed by the entity. The text carried an inherent universality, comprehensible to all.
After experimenting, Evah found this trait still worked in this world, so he used it to design the Trickster Club's emblem.
(End of Chapter)