"'Rewind'… isn't that the 'Detective's' ability to reconstruct scenes from clues? Is there a problem?" Fors thought for a moment after hearing "Lion" Leon's words, asking in confusion.
Leon pulled at the corner of his mouth, plucked a mane hair, and caused it to transform into a mirror. Then, while trying to demonstrate the specific effects of 'Rewind', he chuckled, "Heh heh, 'Rewind' isn't that simple… I even think the inspiration for your 'film company's' cameras…"
Before he could finish, the room suddenly shook violently, followed by a strong smell of sulfur permeating the air.
Fors was startled and instinctively tried to "open a door" in the wall to Ebner's room.
However, she didn't succeed because after the "Charm Apostle" was controlled by Ebner and given orders to guard her completion of advancement, Chesi's subordinates—the "demons," "serial killers," and "criminals"—activated the "barrier" of the "Gentle Words" hotel.
Fors, Helene, and Fanny were now clearly isolated by this "barrier."
Seeing this, Helene directly condensed a fire raven and shot it towards the door, but it was easily blocked by a sudden, invisible wall.
Fanny also opened her backpack and released three fully armed mechanical puppets.
At this moment, "Lion" Leon suddenly spoke, "Looks like it's started…"
After speaking, he threw the three cards Ebner had given him to Fors and the other two, and briefly explained the abilities of the magical items sealed within the cards.
Since a full-scale battle had begun and the commotion was so great, there was no need to keep the three in the dark. After all, the demons now had no time to sense their thoughts.
"So we were targeted by demons as soon as we got off the train? Ebner attracted the strongest 'Charm Apostle'…"
"Then we can't be a hindrance! We can't be a burden or his weakness!"
The three ladies quickly discussed and made a decision. Helene, the "Pyromaniac" with practical experience, began to set up specific tactics, awaiting potential enemies.
Though they were somewhat nervous, they weren't overly worried, as a demigod-level lion was squatting in the room, guaranteeing their basic safety.
.....
At this moment, the hotel lobby's roof had been smashed open by a "sulfur fireball" that suddenly descended from the sky, shattering and exploding outwards.
At the epicenter of the explosion, a grotesque monster, three meters tall and wielding a "magma greatsword," slowly rose. With a single strike, it obliterated several "criminals" nearby who hadn't managed to escape!
The first to strike was "Slaughter Apostle" Hila. He enjoyed provoking the "fear" emotion in his opponents after "demonizing," leading to "mad" slaughter, hence his name.
Additionally, because he went mad indiscriminately, he had few subordinates, and they all scattered to various parts of the hotel the moment the "sulfur fireball" exploded, keeping their distance from their master.
Seeing this, two of Chesi's subordinate demons immediately "demonized," transforming into monsters themselves, and held Hila back.
Although their strength was far inferior to his, they possessed rationality and believed they could at least stall him for a while.
However, it wasn't long before they paid a heavy price for their arrogance!
The "Slaughter Apostle" was called "Slaughter" not only because of his numerous killings, but also because he wielded a Sealed Artifact capable of inflicting diseases and plagues!
This was another reason his subordinates kept their distance from him.
Therefore, when the two demons under Chesi's command realized something was wrong, it was already a bit late. They were now so ill that they couldn't even maintain their "demonized" forms!
Although a few more hits would certainly kill the two demons, "Slaughter Apostle" Hila didn't want to waste any more time. So, he bypassed them and swiftly moved towards the room where Chesi's aura was.
But before he could enter the corridor, he was stopped by three demons…
It turned out that "Light Apostle" Baruch had already broken through the hotel's internal barrier while Hila was fighting Chesi's subordinates, and had arranged for his followers to intercept Hila here.
And on the other side, the two "demons" who had just escaped the range of the "disease" took a breath of fresh air, only to find themselves subtly surrounded by over a dozen "serial killers."
Among them were Hila's subordinates, Baruch's followers, and even colleagues who also served Chesi!
Immediately after, a chaotic battle began, all for the sake of seizing Beyonder characteristics…
The selfish, cold-blooded, and ruthless nature of "Demon" pathway Beyonders was utterly exposed at this moment!
.....
Inside the hot spring room, Ebner, feigning capture, observed the entire battle through the pre-arranged ritual. He continuously "guided" the situation using his "Manipulator" abilities, striving for a mutually destructive outcome in each battlefield.
Under such "operation," "Light Apostle" Baruch gradually became separated from his followers and entered the battlefield Ebner had pre-arranged for him.
Baruch was a middle-aged gentleman over 1.8 meters tall, with a well-proportioned physique, golden hair, blue eyes, and a full beard. His features appeared quite benevolent, lacking any demonic aura; instead, he resembled a divine priest.
He wore an Intis-style robe and held a scepter with a white spherical orb embedded at its tip, silently confronting Chesi, who was controlled by the Magic Mirror.
According to the information provided by Chesi's soul, after becoming a "Demon," this "Light Apostle" possessed unique abilities somewhat similar to a "Gatekeeper." He could accommodate "spirits" and even interact with the underworld to some extent, like a true "Gatekeeper"… yet he couldn't truly open the "Door of the Underworld."
However, whether by good or bad luck, shortly after Baruch became a "Charm Apostle," he coincidentally obtained a malevolent spirit, the corrupted form of a high-Sequence "Sun" pathway powerhouse, and allowed it to reside within him…
From then on, he became the only demon unafraid of "Holy Light," and even immune to "Purification," thus earning him the title of "Light Apostle."
But unfortunately, that malevolent spirit continued to revive within him… By now, the malevolent spirit had even taken dominance, causing Baruch to fall into madness from time to time.
Therefore, Baruch was extremely eager for the "Devil" characteristic, even deciding to obtain it at all costs to suppress the malevolent spirit's corrosion.
Seeing that Chesi, controlled by the Magic Mirror, and Baruch were about to make their move, Ebner quietly activated his "Pure White Eye," intending to simultaneously search for Baruch's weakness and use the room's pre-arranged ritual to help the Magic Mirror quickly kill him.
But just as Ebner activated his "Pure White Eye," "Light Apostle" Baruch's benevolent face suddenly became distorted and riddled with patches of light.
Immediately after, an aura extremely similar to the angel malevolent spirit sealed within the Magic Mirror arose from Baruch.
Seeing this, Ebner frowned. Just as he was considering whether to strike first, Baruch's face revealed a fanatical expression. He then threw away his scepter, directly prostrating himself on the ground, facing Ebner's direction, and spoke with extreme piety:
"My Lord, the sinner Orbach finally feels your radiance again!"
Orbach? The second Pope of the Church of the Eternal Sun, who perished before the position of Pope was completely abolished and replaced by a round table conference, seemed to have that name…
And the third, most likely, is the one in the Magic Mirror.
The Magic Mirror has shown a "sycophantic" attitude since first seeing me, and it likes the "Holy Light" I release with "Pure White Eye," even to the point of not devouring people for it.
And now this malevolent spirit, Orbach, who has occupied Baruch, actually called me "My Lord" directly after I activated "Pure White Eye"…
If it's true, as I previously guessed, that the function of "Pure White Eye" was continually perfected by successive transmigrators, then what exactly did they put into it before?
Hmm… "Pure White Eye"… not only does it have the "analysis" and "insight" abilities of a high-Sequence "Reader" pathway, but now it also seems to have a strong connection with the "Sun"…
Could this be pieced together from "Pure White Angel" + "Omniscient Eye"?
Was the name I casually chose not really "casual" at all? Some form of destiny?
But both "White Tower" and "Sun" have True Gods… So where did "Omniscient Eye" and "Pure White Angel" come from?
(End of chapter)