"We need to leave now," Adrian said, closing his book and addressing Mr. Z. "The Lord's oracle warns that heretics will soon scour Tingen for Aurora Order members. As a bishop, you must not be exposed."
"Yes," Mr. Z replied, recognizing the oracle's weight and growing more convinced of Adrian's role as the favored one through his studies of the new doctrine. He hurriedly began packing. Adrian sat quietly on the sofa by the fireplace, his gaze serene and distant, fixed on the void.
...
Klein awoke in bed, surrounded by stern-faced Nighthawks. Dunn stood beside him, his expression a mix of severity and concern. Klein stirred slowly, residual pain lingering in his mind. He stared at the Nighthawks around him, letting out a groan as the headache pulsed.
"Klein, don't move. You may be 'polluted' like Old Neil. Tell me, what did you see before calling for help?" Dunn Smith pressed Klein's shoulders, pinning him down. Klein forced his eyes open despite the pain, noticing, besides familiar Nighthawks, a man in a trench coat, its high collar obscuring his chin and lips, seated by his bed.
Noticing Klein's gaze, Dunn explained, "This is His Excellency Crestet Sesima, the Sword of the Goddess. Klein, your timely warning allowed us to contain Old Neil before he lost control—an impressive feat for a new Beyonder. But we can't allow hidden dangers within the Nighthawks. Old Neil was polluted by the Hidden Sage, and we don't want you to…"
Old Neil? Klein suddenly recalled the scene before he fainted: a black inverted cross blooming with roses, its fragile vines entwining a pair of chillingly indifferent eyes. As the cross and eyes clashed, a single eyeball emerged, delivering an uppercut that shattered the indifferent pair—what kind of scene was that? Klein shook his head, clearing the chaotic thoughts, and spoke, his voice hoarse:
"After Old Neil helped me prepare the potion, I drank it and became a Beyonder. With his guidance, I mastered Spirit Vision. But when I used it to observe my surroundings, I saw… a pair of cold, indifferent eyes behind Old Neil!"
"Then I just shouted at Old Neil…"
"That was the Hidden Sage. The Church's tests confirm He polluted Mr. Old Neil," Dunn said gravely. Crestet Sesima, seated beside him, gestured for Klein to continue. Klein nodded, recounting the inverted cross and the eyeball's actions against the Hidden Sage's gaze, leaving the Nighthawks stunned.
The vivid image of "an eyeball uppercutting the Hidden Sage's eyes" was so striking that the Nighthawks couldn't process it. Crestet, a seasoned senior deacon, thought he'd seen it all. What? The Hidden Sage's eyes were punched out by an eyeball? That was a new one.
"…No issues, Dunn. Your team member shows no signs of pollution from the Hidden Sage or other deities, but for caution, I need to confirm if his personality has been altered by Old Neil's contamination—considering potential deep-seated pollution from the Hidden Sage or True Creator. Please leave; I need to test him alone."
Crestet Sesima opened the silver suitcase at his feet, drawing the holy artifact Sword of the Goddess. The sword glowed faintly, creating a sealed spiritual zone around them. Noting Crestet's caution, Klein asked, "Your Excellency Sesima, is the pollution on me and Old Neil… severe?"
"Old Neil was only polluted by the Hidden Sage and has been sent to the Church in Backlund for treatment. Regrettably, even without lasting effects, he likely can't continue his current duties and may be reassigned as a priest, allowing us to monitor his changes. As for your pollution, I'm testing it now—since this all happened after you became a Beyonder."
Crestet Sesima asked casually, "Klein, what's your view on the True Creator, that evil god?"
I'm being tested in a dream! Is this how they check for deep pollution? Klein's pupils dilated as he searched for his truest answer.
Behind Klein, an inverted cross, a pair of cold but dazed eyes, and a dark mass flickering with stars hovered, watching him from the shadows, curtains, and secrecy, as if awaiting his response.
...
The High-Dimensional Overseer disdainfully discarded another avatar eroded by the True Creator's scattered power in the Forsaken Land of the Gods, picking through the flesh to cobble together a barely resistant body. Before Him, two light screens flickered. The larger one, floating before the True Creator and the High-Dimensional Overseer, showed Klein's surroundings.
The smaller screen, barely taller than a person, seemed like dust beside the True Creator. It displayed a woman with a face veiled in deep darkness, calmly watching Klein, unfazed by the writhing flesh beneath her feet.
"You polluted the Hidden Sage, Outer God," Amanises said softly to the High-Dimensional Overlooker, showing no hostility. The High-Dimensional Overseer scoffed, rubbing a pair of cold, rigid eyes, injecting high-dimensional knowledge into them. Through this link, He infiltrated the Hidden Sage's essence, likely soon forcing a change in His title.
Even gods like the Black Emperor or quasi-gods like Mr. Door fell to the Mother of Depravity's pollution, and She lacked a complete Sefirot. The Hidden Sage, lesser than those true gods, stood no chance against the High-Dimensional Overseer, the embodiment of Sefirot.
"What's the point of saying that, Evernight Goddess? Or, per old Earth customs, should I call you Amanises? Oh, Amanises, Amanises. You accuse me of polluting the Hidden Sage but don't dare fight me. Asking me this is like asking yourself: projecting your will to the Forsaken Land of the Gods to talk with an Outer God—does that mean you're betraying Earth?"
The High-Dimensional Overseer sneered, "Because I'm an Outer God? Amanises, there's a limit to self-deception. A demonic wolf with an old human soul and a human chosen by Sefirot to become an Outer God—essentially, you and I are no different."
"At least on the Lord of the Mysteries candidate, we agree, unlike other Outer Gods. Before the apocalypse, God Almighty's contest is unlikely to resolve. For Earth's safety, we need a pillar. High-Dimensional Overseer, you at least don't seek Earth's destruction," Amanises said, her face obscured by the dark veil, hiding her expression. The True Creator, hanging inverted on His cross, remained silent, seemingly suppressing His madness. The High-Dimensional Overseer said, "Adam is working with you."
"He supports Amon for Lord of the Mysteries," Amanises replied. I don't trust Him or Amon. But until Adam becomes the Visionary, I won't oppose Him. He needs war for His ascension ritual, and I need the opportunities that war brings."
"Well said. He's too much like Celestial Worthy. Do you think if Amon becomes Lord of the Mysteries, everyone will wear monocles and become puppets? Amanises, you're not an Old One yet, but I can see your past and future," the High-Dimensional Overseer said, wriggling its avatar. "You've always been good at picking sides—experience from your human days at work? From the Rose Redemption to the current Lord of the Mysteries candidate, you've never chosen wrong."
"High-Dimensional Overseer," Amanises said calmly, "you were once human. Like us, you lived through that era."
"Yeah, so what?" the High-Dimensional Overseer replied, puzzled.
"When you were human, did you ever consider dying alone?"
"What's with that personal attack?!"
The True Creator watched the two gods silently. Sighing, He pushed His limits: "I recall… when you followed me, Amanises, you said you never married either…"
"Ah, she's gone."
Adrian opened his eyes, stepping out of the train station with Mr. Z. But when he saw the disguised Aurora Order emissaries Mr. Z recognized, his lips twitched. They held a massive sign, scrawled crookedly in ink:
Mr. Abraham, Welcome to Backlund!
(End of Chapter)