Chapter 65: Beyonder Information

Chapter Sixty-Five
Beyonder Information

Holding the document signed by Dunn, Klein went underground and turned into the armory.

“Dunn is right. It is time for you to learn about different Beyonders and various secret organizations.”

Old Neil, dressed in his classical black robe, showed no surprise upon seeing the note. On the contrary, he solemnly agreed.

Immediately afterward, he added with a smile, “After all, tomorrow night you will be going to the underground market with me.”

“Tomorrow night?”

Klein did not conceal his joy. He asked again, as though seeking confirmation.

Old Neil nodded and sighed.

“I am someone who cannot sleep peacefully while carrying a debt. I always hope to repay it as soon as possible.”

Why did you not behave like that before? You insisted on delaying until the very last moment before resolving it with ritual magic…

So it turns out I am not the only person with procrastination…

Wait. Is there really a need to phrase “I am afraid I will not be able to stop myself from spending the money meant for repayment” so euphemistically?

Klein did not expose Old Neil. Instead, he urged him, “Mr. Neil, please go behind Chanis Gate and retrieve the corresponding materials for me.”

The armory mostly stored archaeological information and historical documents. It did contain some information regarding Beyonders and secret organizations, but not much, and all of it belonged to basic common knowledge.

Old Neil leisurely took a sip of hand-ground coffee, smacked his lips, and only then picked up the signed and stamped document, leaving the armory. Klein replaced him and stood guard there.

A little more than ten minutes later, Old Neil returned in his classical black robe, carrying a large stack of materials.

“They may only be read here. They cannot be taken away,” he said while placing the materials on the table, reminding Klein.

“All right.”

Klein nodded emphatically. He stretched out both hands and rapidly flipped through the pages, first making a broad scan of the whole.

Very detailed… As expected of the Nighthawks’ internal information… As expected of a Church with three or four thousand years of history, perhaps even more…

As Klein’s gaze swept roughly over the material, inward admiration sounded loudly in his heart.

The materials not only introduced various secret organizations, but also listed many Sequence pathways. Some were very complete. Some wrote only the corresponding potion names. Some merely described the performance of Beyonders at that Sequence. Others were completely absent, represented only by blank space.

Suppressing his excitement, Klein searched for the Sequence pathway represented by Seer.

Amid the rustle of flipping paper, he soon saw the familiar word.

However, the delight on his face quickly froze, because the Sequence 8 and Sequence 7 following Seer had no corresponding potion names at all!

Fortunately, at least there are descriptions of the Beyonders for those two Sequences…

Klein exhaled soundlessly, relaxed his mood, and carefully read those descriptions.

“Sequence 8: Potion name unknown. Corresponding Beyonders are skilled in technical combat, and are all very cunning.”

Skilled in technical combat? This is the advancement after Seer? Why does it feel so strange… I am not a Hunter. Am I supposed to become a melee mage? What does cunning mean? Increased intelligence, good at deceiving others?

Klein read until he froze in confusion, even suspecting that the Nighthawks’ information might contain an error.

After that were the corresponding cases. He read them several times, but ultimately still failed to find a reasonable explanation.

His gaze moved downward, and the description of Sequence 7 entered his pupils.

“Potion name unknown. Corresponding Beyonders have mastered many quickly cast spells, combining their own techniques with supernatural power.”

That is more like it! That is what an advancement of Seer should look like!

Klein breathed in relief and sighed inwardly.

After finishing the Sequence 7 cases, he turned his attention to the summary description of this pathway.

“This Sequence pathway first took shape in the Zaratul family of the Solomon Empire. In the conflicts of the Fourth Epoch, this family was not completely destroyed. In the history of the Fifth Epoch, their name can occasionally still be heard… Suspected of having a certain connection to the ancient organization known as the Secret Order.”

Zaratul?

Seeing that name, Klein’s pupils abruptly contracted.

It had appeared yesterday afternoon in the remnants of Emperor Roselle’s diary that he had received!

Roselle’s acting method had come precisely from a reminder by a mysterious figure named Zaratul.

“Because of that mysterious Zaratul, Emperor Roselle regretted not choosing Seer? And so, indirectly, that affected me, making me become a Seer, bringing the acting method back into the arms of the Seer pathway… This really has the flavor of fate…”

Klein frowned, sensing that there seemed to be something more to the matter.

Looking only at the logical chain, he believed that every link was reasonable. Yet in the field of mysticism, that kind of feeling of fate often indicated something, and often involved certain problems.

Add to that the inexplicable nature of transmigration… It is simply tangled and confusing… And the fellow whose body I now occupy killed himself precisely because of the notebook the Secret Order lost…

Klein thought for a long time and produced many guesses, but none had enough information to support it.

Hoo…

After reading that portion several more times, he finally could only press down his thoughts and read the other records.

He first found the Sailor Sequence and discovered that it indeed belonged to the Lord of Storms.

For an old rival that might have existed for more than two or three thousand years, the Nighthawks’ internal information recorded it in considerable detail.

“Sequence 8: Folk of Rage. Ancient name: Storm Guardian. When corresponding Beyonders become angry, they can erupt with attacks far beyond normal in both strength and speed… Facing them is like facing a storm…”

“Sequence 7: Seafarer. Ancient name: Storm Priest. Corresponding Beyonders are also scholars of astronomy and geography. They possess an intuitive grasp of magnetic fields, ocean currents, wind direction, and clouds… A ship with a Seafarer aboard will never lose its way at sea… They are higher-ranked blessed ones of the ocean. Upon the sea, they gain all-around enhancement…

“They are friends of water, able to move freely underwater for more than half an hour… They can cast certain water-related spells to a limited degree. Some originate from their own mastery, while others come from the Lord of Storms’ blessing, such as…”

Sequence 7 Seafarer is very strong…

Klein nodded thoughtfully.

He suspected that the Hanged Man was either a Storm Guardian or a Seafarer. Considering the fact that the man had just advanced, the latter seemed quite possible.

This also indicated from another angle that the Hanged Man was either a member of the Mandated Punishers, or a pirate secretly recruited by the Church of Storms.

Impressive, impressive…

Klein flipped backward several pages and found the advancement of Spectator. He discovered that it was exactly the same as the Hanged Man’s description.

Like Seer, Sequence 9 Spectator lacked direct methods to defeat enemies. It could only, through information obtained by observing a target, grasp the other party’s true thoughts, thereby skillfully influencing and secretly guiding matters toward the direction one desired.

Sequence 8 Telepathist was a comprehensive improvement over Spectator. Observation was no longer limited to surface details, but extended deep into mystical domains such as auras and Ether Bodies. By combining both, a Telepathist could grasp people’s hearts with exceptional accuracy, as though able to read their thoughts. Before such a person, it was difficult for secrets to remain hidden.

Sequence 7 Psychiatrist, also known as Psychoanalyst, went further on that foundation and could begin directly influencing targets. They could treat madness and similar problems, or make a target become frenzied and lose reason.

“Beyonders who are very difficult for others to discover…”

After reading the above materials, Klein made a definite judgment.

Having learned about matters relating to the members of the gathering, he turned to the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery, because Emperor Roselle had chosen the Savant Sequence belonging to them.

“Sequence 9: Savant. Corresponding Beyonders believe knowledge is power. They possess rough understanding of mysticism and are even more proficient with aqua regia, nitroglycerin, complicated gear mechanisms, and the like. They seem to understand everything.”

No wonder Emperor Roselle said this potion suited him, that it could bring out his advantages to the greatest extent…

Klein suddenly understood completely, and his gaze moved downward.

After several case descriptions, the corresponding Sequence 8 appeared before Klein’s eyes.

“Archaeologist. Possesses sufficient historical knowledge, wilderness survival knowledge, and taboo knowledge relating to ruins, as well as a sufficiently strong body and ability to face all this…”

“Sequence 7: Appraiser. Able to intuitively grasp most supernatural items’ powers and problems, and avoid danger as much as possible while using them…”

Because Klein’s confidentiality level was not high enough, the materials on Sequence pathways only went to Sequence 7. This left him itching with curiosity and without any other solution. He could only hope that Backlund would quickly send Sealed Artifact 2-049, confirming whether Ray Bieber was a descendant of the Antigonus family.

If so, he would have hope of becoming an official team member and gaining a higher confidentiality level.

Restraining his emotions, Klein carefully read through the materials from beginning to end. He learned that the later Sequences after Corpse Collector were Gravedigger and then Spirit Medium. He learned that Sequence 8 after Mystery Pryer was missing; not only was there no name, even the corresponding description was blank. In the Sequence 7 record, however, the potion name was written: Wizard!

That sounds rather formidable…

Klein slowly turned the page and saw the Apprentice and Marauder pathways that Emperor Roselle had never stopped thinking about. Their records only reached Sequence 8, with the later stages missing.

“Sequence 9: Apprentice. Their abilities are rather strange. It can only be confirmed that this is the beginning of a mage-like school. They are rarely trapped and are difficult to block off. They always have ways to escape and pass through… Sequence 8: Trickmaster. They master all sorts of strange but not especially powerful spells…”

“Sequence 9: Marauder. It is difficult to distinguish these Beyonders from ordinary thieves and pickpockets. Perhaps their methods are more impressive, and perhaps their theft of property is not for pleasure or survival, but more like fulfilling a mission… Sequence 8: Swindler. In certain fraud cases, we have discovered traces of Beyonders. They take delight in deceiving others…”

Taking delight in deception… Is this a form of subtle, transformative acting? If I had a choice, perhaps I would choose Apprentice…

Klein murmured inwardly. Suddenly, he discovered the Sequence potion name of Tris, the culprit behind the Clover tragedy:

“Instigator.”