My setting is above yours!

Chapter 83 [Trick] The Sequence Zero Potion Recipe! (5k5)

"Go away!"

For once, a hint of ferocity appeared on the Silver Knight's handsome, androgynous face as he couldn't help but swear.

He wielded a pure silver spear, the words on it surging and shattering like liquid, a dim light spreading out from it, which he easily flung out and splashed onto Father Suer.

Feeling dazed and confused.

Father Suer's consciousness was immediately clouded; his thinking was disrupted, his concepts were confused, and even concepts such as numbers and language were gradually forgotten and thrown to the back of his mind...

In an instant, Father Suer transformed into a "beast" who could not recognize words, calculate numbers, or even have a blurred understanding of concepts, leaving only biological instincts!
—This is the suppression of a Sequence 5 transcendent by a Sequence 7!
Taking advantage of the opportunity, the Silver Knight ignored Father Sull and charged toward Ron, his eyes fixed only on the quill pen and notebook in Ron's hand.

He can accept the failure of a long-planned promotion, because even without considering the [Trickery] sequence, he can still climb up from his original sequence.

...But if something that shouldn't have been lost falls into someone else's hands, how will that person view him?

He absolutely could not allow this nobody Ron to act so recklessly and tarnish the glory of that lord!

But... the Silver Knight didn't notice one thing.

If the extraordinary abilities of a Sequence 5 transcendent were to fall into the hands of a normal Sequence 7, it might prevent him from recovering to normal for up to a year. The confused concepts and forgotten writing would leave him disoriented and confused for a long time, and he might even forget that he is still alive...

But that applies to normal sequence seven.

After activating the Fire Chasing Ritual, receiving the Fire of War, and being prophesied to be stronger, Father Suer is no longer a superhuman who can be summarized as "Sequence Seven"!

"boom!"

Flames suddenly erupted on his body, instantly turning him into a towering pillar of fire!
The blazing fire scorched his body, making a sizzling sound.

His flesh and bones had been scorched into dry, black charcoal, but the mask on his face still shimmered.

Through the eye sockets of the mask, one could see that Father Suer's eyes still held that dim, hazy light, but within them shone a distinct, burning brilliance.

...That was the flame of revenge!

What conceptual confusion? What forgotten writing? What intellectual decline?
Father Suer had already received the fire, and relying solely on his instinct as a "divinely given fire-bringer," he knew what he was about to do.

—War is about repaying blood with blood!

The heart of strife is never stingy with its blessings upon believers; whenever it sees conflict in the world, it is willing to bestow fiery blessings to add color to the strife…

Hatred is a vital driving force that adds color to the flames of conflict!
Hatred for being plotted as a sacrifice, hatred for being manipulated and controlled, hatred for being used as a pawn, hatred for having one's guardian treasure stolen...

All hatred fueled Father Suer's flames, which blazed brightly as his spiraling sword, spewing forth flames, pierced the silver knight who was charging toward Ron in an instant—

The spiraling longsword pierced his heart, and blazing flames surged forth from it, its power far exceeding that of Father Suer, who had only received the blessing of fire once before.

In an instant, the flames engulfed the Silver Knight, turning him into a blazing torch and burning alongside Father Suer!
"You're crazy...!!"

The Silver Knight gritted his teeth, and his body, engulfed by the flames, instantly melted, turning into flowing silver mist that evaporated from the fire.

Not far away, silver dots of light outlined lines, "drawing" the image of the Silver Knight, allowing him to reappear from there.

It seems that Father Sue killed only a false body.

However, upon closer inspection, it becomes apparent that although the Silver Knight appears to have escaped unscathed from the endless flames, his bright silver armor has clearly been stained with a darker hue, and its color has become somewhat murky.

Many inconspicuous areas were broken, revealing the lining of the lock underneath.

Father Sue looked at the still-alive Silver Knight without any hesitation or confusion. His desire for revenge urged him to continue the "war," and he immediately entangled himself with the Silver Knight once again...

Seeing this scene, Ron couldn't help but feel a stirring in his heart.

If we could do it a few more times...

Perhaps Father Sull will be able to burn this pure silver armor to ashes, igniting the Silver Knight here as a gift to the heart of strife as a sacrifice for [war]!
He immediately looked at the quill pen and notebook in his hand, considering whether he should return to Ideal City to regain his composure and then come back to continue writing—

But the moment his gaze fell upon the notebook, he saw the words he had just written begin to detach and distort…

The quill pen suddenly sprang from his hand and continued writing below the line he had already penned—

[What a spectacular fight scene! Father Sue and "Silver Knight" Yar Austin battled to the edge of the Sanctuary, their limbs and prisons obliterated.]

"boom!"

In an instant, Father Suer and the Silver Knight crashed into the tower beside them. Blazing flames and flowing silver mist suddenly erupted from the tower, instantly enveloping and encompassing the entire tower.

However, the power of the "Mithril Knight" far surpasses that of the "Overseer," and this uninteresting script deserves a matching uninteresting ending. The perspective should return to the current protagonist, to Ron... Therefore, the Mithril Knight should have some free time.

Not long after, Father Suer was found to have a weakness and was killed by Yar...

What the hell are you writing?!
Ron quickly grabbed the quill pen, trying to stop it from writing any further.

But the quill, which had been so obedient in Ron's hands just moments before, now possessed an irresistible power.

Ron grabbed the quill pen, trying to move it away from the notebook, but an extremely cold, stinging sensation came from it; in that instant, his hand holding the quill pen was pierced through countless bloody holes…

Ron's consciousness also plummeted as if into an ice cave. In that instant, a chill ran through him, and he immediately realized what had happened.

'This is the price to pay for using the quill pen and notebook... Just like normal contained items, there's always a cost to using them!'

'It made me the protagonist and then wrote prophecies unfavorable to me… This is the price a holder has to pay after using it to write a passage depicting a future desired by the holder!'

'It looks like it'll keep writing forever... If I keep holding this thing, it might write me to death any second now!'

'No, we absolutely cannot keep this thing in our hands until we have the ability and method to control it!'

He had actually considered bringing this thing back to Ideal City, but bringing Idrila's clothes back had already caused a version update. Who knew if bringing this thing back would make Ideal City still the Ideal City he remembered...

After all, this is a deity related to the [Trickery] sequence...it can almost be considered one of the sources of so-called "mystical influence"!

If this thing is brought back to Ideal City, it will directly break the [Anti-Mystic Equation], causing Atina's past of erasing "mystery" to collapse and the gods to return to reality. What should we do then?
Ron, for one, didn't think he could handle this kind of trouble...

After hesitating for a moment, Ron reluctantly let go and threw the thing aside.

Although Ron flung it away, the quill continued to write in the air, and the strokes remained unchanged as it fell, as if an unseen person were holding it out of thin air, elegantly outlining the words:
[...Killed by Yar Austin, who stole the Sequence 4 containment object [Theatrical Mask].]

The moment the words were written, the flames inside the tower weakened considerably, and the silver mist shone brightly, clearly indicating that the Silver Knight had gained a significant advantage!
No... I can't stay here any longer, I have to leave quickly!
Despite his body being drained of spiritual energy and barely able to move, Ron staggered towards the outside of the Scorched Earth Sanctuary.

But before he could run two steps, Idrila, who had already woken up and realized what was happening, was ready and rushed to Ron's side.

"Excuse me, Mr. Ron!"

As she spoke, she swept Ron up by his legs, hoisted him onto her shoulder, and picked up the Bloodthorn that Ron had dropped on the ground. Then she strode off towards the outside of the Scorched Earth Sanctuary.

The magic of war burned and surged in her blood, causing Idrila's slender leg muscles to bulge, unleashing unparalleled power as she stomped heavily on the ground and sped off.

While desperately trying to escape, she didn't forget her duties as a nun. She took Ron's pierced hand, and a shimmering light shone in her palm. Ron immediately felt a warm sensation coming from her palm.

Like warm water washing over a wound, Ron felt a slight stinging and itching sensation, but it quickly turned into comfort.

The pierced wound quickly grew new flesh, and even the minor cuts on Ron's body healed rapidly.

'I don't even need the nanomedical spray anymore...' 'The [Military Priest's] superpower is really useful... I should also try to find some healing abilities that can restore injuries.'

'For example, the [Pharmacist] recipe I obtained before, which is at the [Life] Sequence Nine, I must try to concoct it when I have the chance…'

Ron felt a mix of emotions, but being carried by Idrila like this was still somewhat awkward and slowed him down.

He quickly switched back to [Superpowered] and [Vector Manipulation], and got off Idrila:
“These things are not normal... The Silver Knight will not let us off the hook.”

Idrila nodded. Having recovered from the state of being controlled by the quill and notebook, her eyes brightened, and her thoughts returned to normal. She naturally understood Ron's unspoken meaning:
“That’s right, he couldn’t possibly be an inquisitor of the Scorched Earth Sanctuary… For a normal inquisitor to conduct a trial, there must be at least three ‘Fire Knights’ and one priest or nun present; otherwise, he cannot exercise the law enforcement powers granted by the Sanctuary’s Inquisition.”

As she spoke, she picked up the [Blood Thorn], a hint of confusion in her eyes:
"This containment item... is a containment item under the jurisdiction of the Inquisition."

"It is said that each Inquisitor is permitted to carry one Sequence 4 containment item when on a mission, in order to ensure the smooth conduct of the trial—"

"The Silver Knight could obtain this either by obtaining the approval of that Chief Judge or by killing an innocent judge."

"He has a containment object of that caliber, and he did these things, so he's probably after something—but whatever the case, we ruined his plans, and he certainly won't let it go."

Her tone was complicated, and she sighed:

“We have to flee, Mr. Ron.”

"Until we fled to the foggy city, to the place protected by the seven major orthodox churches, where the secrecy law was most strictly enforced..."

As she spoke, she steadied herself, a resolute glint in her eyes:
"Once we reach the central church of the Scorched Earth Sanctuary and meet the bishop, or even the presiding judge of the Inquisition, or anything else, they will be utterly powerless to threaten us!"

That's not necessarily true...

Ron looked at Idrila's resolute expression, his expression slightly complicated.

If it really was approved by the chief judge of that so-called "Scorched Earth Sanctuary", then that diocesan bishop could protect both of them.
And... how can we be so sure that the bishop wasn't involved?
If Ron remembers correctly, Idrila once said that the bishop actually came back to Evening Bell City to inspect it quite often.

After all, that Sequence 4 mask containment object was his creation, and its importance was not insignificant. It shouldn't have been guarded by a Sequence 7 priest.

But according to Idrila, the bishop had just recently disappeared without a trace, having not returned to Evening Bell City for some time...

So, is he unable to return, or is there some reason why he doesn't want to appear in Evening Bell City?
Is he really unrelated to the Silver Knight?

It's all hard to say...

To put it bluntly, Ron still doesn't know what the Silver Knight's purpose is.

Without knowing his purpose, no matter how you think about it, you can't tell who his friends are and who his enemies are.

Because the purpose is unclear, the interests are unclear... Apart from Ron and Idrila, who are genuinely threatened in terms of their lives and interests and are bound to be hostile, others are not necessarily so.

However, despite this, Idrila was right about one thing.

The Fog City... their only chance of survival is to escape to the Fog City!
No matter how powerful the Silver Knight is, based on what Ron discovered during their previous battle, this guy is probably only a Sequence Six, or at most a Sequence Five...

Such strength might be formidable, but based on his previous knowledge of occultism, Ron knew that Fog City was the capital of the Farran Empire, its history supposedly tracing back to a previous era, to the royal city of a powerful Lord of Cinder, Proric.

This place was considered the center of the world throughout the entire "Potion Age," with all seven major churches of the true gods based here, and each church was said to have a superhuman of Sequence Four or higher stationed here...

Together with the royal family, they maintained the safety and stability of the entire city of Fog. However, the power dynamics were so complex that it was almost impossible for them all to benefit from any one thing and become a united front.

The Silver Knight could never be an unknown figure. Ron and Idrila will surely find someone who wants to stop the Silver Knight for various reasons and receive some degree of protection and help there!

However, that would require escaping to the foggy city first...

Ron glanced back cautiously and saw that the Scorched Earth Sanctuary had become very far away during his and Idrila's desperate escape, and the bright sparks within it were gradually dimming, as if they would soon be blown out...

Clearly, the battle within the Scorched Earth Sanctuary was nearing its end. Father Sull was at a disadvantage and was about to die completely, and was slain by the Silver Knight!
Even if the Silver Knight is injured in his fight with Father Sull, he will likely be able to quickly find Ron and Idrila and catch up with them...

We need to escape quickly.

Ron thought to himself, and activated [Omniscient Domain - Pseudo] again, using the "omniscient perspective" to erase any trace of his and Idrila's escape...

Soon, another day had passed.

Because they didn't know what methods the Silver Knights possessed or whether they could detect their presence, they constantly tried to change their appearance and disguise themselves.

They dared not travel to the foggy city using any means of transportation like normal people, and could only run away on their own two legs through the sparsely populated forests, desperately fleeing for a whole day.

After making a few simple forgeries pointing to a town, Ron and Idrila tiptoed to a small village further away and hid in a haystack in a farmer's cowshed.

Exhausted from running around, Ron slumped lazily in the haystack, desperately wanting to rest for a while and recharge.

He is too tired.

Having exhausted his spirituality, depleted the durability of [Illusion Dissolution], and used [Omniscient Domain - Pseudo] eight times, he exerted all his strength to utilize that "omniscient perspective" that is difficult for ordinary people to understand...

If Ron hadn't possessed extraordinary talent, his computing power would probably have been completely overloaded, causing him to faint on the spot.

Even with his exceptional talent, he's utterly exhausted and needs a break...

'After running away for a whole day and hiding in a place like this... if the Silver Knight finds me just because I'm resting for a while, then I'll accept it, go back to Ideal City to level up, and come back to deal with him...'

Ron thought to himself, and after resting for a moment, he immediately took out the spellbook he had been longing to use but hadn't yet.

Although he had been on the run all day and hadn't had a moment to think about anything else, Ron still remembered the warmth emanating from the magic book when he first received the quill and notebook...

That was the biggest reaction to the "Introduction to Mysticism" concept to date.

Based on past experience, it's likely that a new potion recipe has appeared in "An Introduction to Mysticism"...

'Given the potion ingredients that reacted so strongly, what kind of formula would the quill pen and notebook that could make prophecies bring?'

'A high-sequence potion recipe? Sequence four, sequence three... or even sequence two?'

Ron, with a glimmer of hope in his heart, opened "An Introduction to Mysticism," and the very first paragraph he saw shocked him to his core—

[Potion Recipe]

[Trick] Sequence Zero "Chess Player"!
What's this?!

Sequence zero? Shouldn't it only be sequences nine through one?
Idrila emphasized this point in her teaching; it's the most basic occult knowledge. Extraordinary individuals embark on the potion sequence, progressing step by step from sequence nine to sequence one, ascending the highest level...

Ultimately, he became the most favored archangel under God, and was honored as the "King of Angels"!
But... what is this sequence zero?!

Ron's thoughts instantly became a jumbled mess, but he wasn't stupid; he immediately realized the problem—

The [Potion Sequence] is an incredibly powerful power system with orderly upgrades. If there's any problem with it, it's that ultimately one can only become an "Angel King," serving the gods.

But what if the [Potion Sequence] doesn't stop there, and there's an even higher level, Sequence Zero?
After becoming a Sequence One, he took the potion of Sequence Zero and became the supreme god who controls one of the twelve sequences...

At this moment, Ron's breathing inevitably became heavy.

He looked at the magic book in his hand, and his whole body trembled slightly.

A way to become a god, to reach the highest realm...

Now, it's in your own hands!
(End of this chapter)