Chapter 367: The Pursuit of Knowledge

Chapter 367: The Pursuit of Knowledge

The Republic of Intis, Trier.

Buildings of various heights seemed to be frozen in the act of collapsing, leaning and swaying but stubbornly refusing to fall. On the streets, people wore either tattered or worn-out clothes, and the constant noise of arguments and angry shouts never seemed to cease.

A figure slowly materialized in the void of the night.

It was a young man with flamboyant red hair, handsome features, and a tall, imposing stature. His face, like a marble sculpture, bore an expression of arrogance and disdain. He took a deep breath, as if coming back to life, and spread his arms as if to embrace the world.

“I smell the scent of war and conflict. Trier is a fine place.”

Two sarcastic voices echoed in his ears.

“Besides putting on airs, what else can you do?”

“‘The One’ has precise control over spirit bodies. Why not let him try to separate us? Are you really that unwilling to part with us?”

Medici ignored the voices in his ears, and after a moment, he spoke slowly and deliberately.

“We are now the remnants of a once-burning presence. The uniqueness of the Crimson Priest and the Extraordinary Trait of the Conqueror have passed through Alistair Tudor and Salinger, among other angels.”

“Even with ‘The One’s’ help to strengthen our bond, the connection is already very weak. Further division would make it impossible to find each other.”

A cold snort echoed in his ears. “So what if we can’t find each other? He admires you so much. If you’re willing to be his lapdog, he won’t make you suffer even if you can’t recover the Conqueror’s Extraordinary Trait.”

“Are you worried about your worthless descendants being killed by me?”

Medici instinctively shot back a sarcastic remark, but after a moment of silence, he remembered their previous conversation and the truth he had learned. His arrogance diminished slightly.

He paused for a few seconds, his tone indifferent. “I will no longer follow anyone.”

As a hunter of the positive force of the Primordial Creator, the Crimson Priest should worship the source of power, the red of war, not a specific individual.

“The condition is that you complete the contract and retrieve the Conqueror’s Extraordinary Trait from Trier within a month.”

Medici raised an eyebrow and carefully assessed the situation.

"Sealed for over a thousand years, out of touch with this strange era, my spirit strength is below Sequence 3 and weakening over time. I only have the Sequence 6 Plotter's Extraordinary Trait to maintain my existence, and I'm burdened with you two useless parasites. My opponent is an out-of-control Sequence 1 archangel…"

The voices in his ears mocked him. “What, are you afraid?”

“Hmph, I’ll treat it as a way to stretch my muscles. Besides, the Extraordinary Traits within Fermunda Solen, other than the Conqueror’s, can also be useful.”

Medici’s lips curled into a slow smile as he walked toward Trier, the city of joy, and disappeared into the morning mist.

…

Saint George District, Saint Hillan Church.

The grand facade of the church was two-thirds ancient and solemn stone blocks and carvings, with the remaining third a translucent lattice of glass, giving it a light and ethereal feel. The Steam Church boasted tall chimneys and a clock tower; the former symbolized the power of steam, while the latter, with its intricate clock, symbolized the beauty of mechanics.

Fors entered the church as usual, thinking about the task Luke had given her. She touched the intricate and complex object in her hand, feeling uneasy. Meeting a Wild Talent with a bishop or archbishop of the church was like a thief facing a police inspector at the station; even without revealing her identity, she would be extremely nervous.

She took a deep breath and sat down in the prayer room. A priest was delivering a sermon from the top of the altar. He had strong, clear features and could be considered handsome, though his face was haggard, with dark circles under his eyes, indicating a lack of rest.

“The steam train is based on steam engine technology, which generates steam power through the combustion of fuel to drive mechanical structures. It consists of several major components: the power source, energy conversion, mechanical transmission, and control systems…”

Compared to other churches, the Steam Church’s sermons were less focused on the divine power of the gods and more on educating the congregation. This included mathematics, basic chemistry, social systems, education, and significant inventions.

This approach had the benefit of making the Steam Church’s followers generally more knowledgeable than those of other churches, though it also made the sermons more tedious.

However, the practical application of knowledge in daily life attracted some people who couldn’t afford tuition, were excluded due to gender, or had a strong desire for knowledge, compensating for the loss of those who found the sermons dull.

“The above is the basic principle of the steam train invented by the Emperor of Rossel.”

The priest concluded his sermon, emphasizing the source of technology according to the old calendar. He then clenched his right fist and lightly tapped his left chest, opened the door to the confessional, and waited for the believers to enter one by one.

After about half an hour, Fors smoothly entered the confessional, securing the opportunity to speak with the priest alone.

"Madam, what do you need to confess?"

Fors hesitated for a moment. "Can I speak with the bishop?"

There was a brief silence on the other side, followed by a simple response. "I have recently taken over the preaching duties, and my rank allows me to communicate with the bishop on equal terms."

A document was passed through the perforated partition, bearing the priest's name—Iconse Bernard—and the symbol of a high-ranking clergyman.

Not long ago, this unfortunate captain of the "Mechanical Heart" had his inner secrets revealed by the Magic Mirror Arrodes. His colleagues swore they would never tell anyone.

However, by the next day, every member of the Mechanical Heart squad knew about his preferences, his sexual quirks, and his dream lover. Amidst the teasing smiles of his comrades, he felt so embarrassed that he could barely face them, and he temporarily requested to come to the church to preach.

Fors carefully examined the document, then took out a complex-looking object from her pocket and handed it over along with the document.

"Someone asked me to give this to you."

Iconse took it casually, but his expression froze when he saw the object.

The Sequence 6 of the Generalist pathway is the Artisan, whose primary ability is to create various mechanical wonders and Extraordinary Items. Whether in the mystic or the mundane world, they are undisputed masters of creation.

In other words, they are experts who know their stuff.

A few seconds later, Fors heard the priest's breathing become heavy, followed by the sound of a chair tipping over, a body hitting the floor, and a series of exclamations and mumbled words.

"This structure... By the Steam! How can such craftsmanship be achieved... This, this isn't mysticism, nor is it science! No, this is too scientific!"

Just from the sound, Fors could imagine the priest's flustered state. She panicked and immediately left the confessional, ready to leave.

"Madam, please wait!"

Hearing her footsteps, Iconse quickly called out to Fors. He emerged from the partition, bowed to the believers still in line, and spoke seriously.

"I'm very sorry, but an emergency has occurred, and today's confessions must be interrupted. I sincerely apologize to everyone."

The bewildered believers gradually dispersed, and Fors was led to a well-decorated clergyman's rest room with an attitude that left no room for refusal.

Iconse swiftly summoned a clearly high-Sequence ability user to attend to them, whispered a few words to him, and the man, looking surprised, silently ran off.

"Madam, I have sent a message to Archbishop Horamik, and he will be here shortly."

Archbishop Horamik!?

Fors, already uneasy, stiffened at the name.

Horamik was the head of the Barklund diocese of the Steam and Mechanics Church and a member of the Ecclesiastical Council. He was not only a clergyman but also a renowned scientist and an honorary professor of physics at Barklund University. Fors had seen his name in many magazines.

A moment later, an elderly man in a white priest's robe, wearing a clergyman's soft cap, approached.

"Where is the item?"

Iconse handed it over and spoke solemnly. "This item has technology that is clearly beyond our current level."

Archbishop Horamik gazed at the metallic, silver-inlaid object, his eyes gleaming as if scanning it from the tiniest angles.

A moment later, the old man's facial muscles twitched, and he shook his head at Iconse.

"Your Sequence is too low, so you didn't notice. The structure is just a minor issue. The key is that it contains information—lots and lots of information."

He made a quick decision. "I need to set up a ritual to seek divine inspiration."

Fors, sitting nearby, missed a heartbeat and almost jumped out of her chair.

What kind of thing, divine inspiration?

The God of Steam and Mechanics?!

What did that wild man give him?

...

In the mansion in Queens District.

Luke gently held the "Mysticologist" Extraordinary Trait, which had a dreamy hue, and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

The ascension ritual for a "Mysticologist" involves completely analyzing a drop of blood from a mythological being, specifically a Sequence 2 or higher entity, to gain vast and complex knowledge. Depending on the blood, the abilities gained after ascension will vary.

While he didn't need additional rituals beyond the god ascension ritual, the purely beneficial "Mysticologist" ritual was still worth performing.

Aside from suitable compatibility, the higher the Sequence of the blood's original owner, the stronger and more diverse the abilities, the better the results of the ritual.

At this stage, the "Mercury Serpent" Will Unsettin was still a child, the "Time Worm" Pales was residing in Leonard, and the "Death Consul" Azik was still in a state of amnesia. Alternatively, he could directly ask the "Goddess of the Night" Amnisis for a drop of blood?

Several options flashed through Luke’s mind. After a moment’s deliberation, he shook his head with a smile. There was no need to complicate things.

The best choice, of course, was his own blood!

Luke gently spread his palm, and a drop of dull, lifeless blood emerged from his body, slowly floating in the air.

This was the drop of blood sent by his True Self!

After shaping his body and leaving the Source Fortress, the power contained in that drop of blood had been exhausted, but its essence remained unchanged. It was still a drop of blood originating from the “Elder Gods.”

Luke gazed at the dull, lifeless blood for a few seconds, then brought it to the Mysticologist’s Extraordinary Trait. The moment they touched, they fused together seamlessly.

He swallowed the Extraordinary Trait in one bite.

After a brief silence, the flesh and blood in Luke’s body began to wriggle frantically, as if a monster beneath the skin was about to break free and re-emerge.

A flood of knowledge inundated his consciousness, like the sea engulfing a single drop of water.

Faced with this vast ocean of knowledge that was inherently his, Luke managed to maintain his mental barriers and rapidly processed and absorbed the boundless information. He soon regained his senses.

The demigod stage was a qualitative leap. After opening the door to divinity, Luke felt the vague connection to his True Self become exceptionally clear, allowing him to borrow more power.

His consciousness ascended, surveying the world. All his past experiences and knowledge of mysticism transformed into various forms of magic in his mind at that moment.

This was the core ability of the Mysticologist—“Mystic Recurrence.” By drawing power from the knowledge of mysticism, they could create magic or sorcery. The less known a piece of knowledge was, the more powerful the magic it produced.

Just then, the scene before Luke’s eyes suddenly changed, everything turning into a white expanse, as if he had been dragged into an unknown space.

In the blankness, a cold gaze descended upon him.

It was a pair of eyelashless, emotionless, nearly transparent eyes.

The Hidden Sage!

Previously, Luke had marked this unique entity, which had been tainted and highly activated by the Source’s “Wilderness of Knowledge,” using Old Neill. While he could always track the Hidden Sage’s movements, the Hidden Sage had also managed to reverse-locate him by analyzing the marking.

The marking alone wasn’t enough to pinpoint the “unknown unknown,” but combined with the upper-level Sequence’s control over the lower Sequence, the Hidden Sage finally discovered Luke’s whereabouts at the end of his ascension to Mysticologist, when his spirit was overwhelmed by the ocean of knowledge and he couldn’t fully utilize his powers.

The countless black and white eyes rapidly spun, each forming a complex, illusory symbol, attempting to flood Luke’s mind with an overwhelming amount of useless knowledge.

Luke silently nodded at the Hidden Sage, and a vast divine power transmitted a thread from the infinite distance. He extended his right hand and formed a strange symbol, radiating bizarre and dazzling light.

Mystic Recurrence, the chase beyond the stars!

He recreated the scene of his True Self chasing the “Primordial Hunger” in the distant reaches of space!

Luke’s body began to leap with the light, and the flood of useless knowledge continued to pursue him, turning “Knowledge Pursuit” into reality.

Just then, the Hidden Sage began to tremble violently, its body twisting as if pierced by a spear.

It had foreseen danger!

Without hesitation, its body dissolved into countless streams of knowledge, dispersing in various directions.

In the next moment, a vague, indistinct presence swallowed everything behind Luke, including the illusory white space, the knowledge streams chasing him, and the parts of the Hidden Sage that had not yet dissipated.

Luke halted the Mystic Recurrence and faced the rapidly reassembling illusory serpent. He calmly raised a finger and spoke slowly, his voice steady under the cold, emotionless gaze.

“The next time we meet, I’ll kill you.”

Crack—

The sound of shattering echoed, and the white expanse collapsed.

Luke opened his eyes, back in the original room.

In the next moment, the door to the room opened, and Fors, with a peculiar expression, and a man walked in together.

The man wore a pair of rimless glasses on his nose, had a faint yellow beard, and a well-built chest and thick arms that strained the fabric of his blue shirt.

His face bore a mix of eagerness and shyness, and his eyes burned with intensity as he stared at Luke, like a treasure hunter who had just discovered a gold mine.

“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t resist the urge to meet you.”

The man took a few steps forward, then suddenly twitched his nose, as if smelling something, and his gaze became even more intense.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end