Lord of Mysteries 2: Circle of Inevitability

Madam Magician forcibly changed the topic. 'If the apocalypse truly arrives in 1368 as predicted, I won't need to rush my advancement. In a few years, Mr. Fool should be completely awake, then unlock the seal on the Western Continent, allowing more Above the Sequences to be born. At that time, even if we're still at a disadvantage when the apocalypse arrives, we'll at least have the power to protect ourselves.

'Without the Uncertain Mist mediating, those Outer Deities won't be able to cooperate well, and they must guard against becoming other Outer Deities' prey after being wounded.

'Unfortunately, there's not much time left. I can only quickly advance to Sequence 1. As a Sequence 1 Angel of the Door pathway, my chances of survival during the apocalypse will be much higher than other pathways. After all, those Outer Deities probably haven't set Their target on Sefirah Castle—do They want self-destruction to happen even faster?'

Her thoughts were similar to Lumian's, believing that Sefirah Castle and its three subordinate pathways were most likely not the Outer Deities' targets. Even if she became a Sequence 1 Key of Stars, she wouldn't be specifically targeted.

Lumian detected the insincerity in Madam Magician's words.

No matter what, if purely for self-preservation and protecting the closest few people, a Sequence 2 Planeswalker would definitely be better than a Sequence 1 Key of Stars, less likely to be noticed, able to sneak away during the chaos.

Choosing to quickly digest the potion and advance to Sequence 1 is to do more during the apocalypse? The Chariot Lumian could vaguely grasp that mentality and thought.

At this moment, the Fool shrouded in gray fog said to Madam Magician Fors, 'The Key of Stars will also become a target.

'Before I fully awaken, if the apocalypse arrives, no Outer Deity will want to see a Lord of Mysteries truly born. They will seal the sefirah, take away the corresponding Uniquenesses and Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics, eliminating the possibility of the spirit world's lord returning.

'Although They can't further accommodate Sefirah Castle, occupying one or two Uniquenesses and the corresponding Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics is not a problem. Their power will increase slightly, and Their abilities will become more diverse.
'Besides, just because They can't accommodate Sefirah Castle doesn't mean there's no suitable way for Them to use it.'

Madam Magician fell silent.

She didn't say she would reconsider, nor did she immediately state her position of becoming an Archangel before the apocalypse.

Lumian was thinking about something else.

Even if only one or two years remains before the apocalypse, with the Major Arcana card holders' efforts and Mr. Fool's current awakening speed, by then, even if he hasn't fully awakened, it shouldn't be far off. As long as he doesn't actively prevent the Outer Deities' invasion, those Outer Deities would probably not intentionally provoke him.

But, he is clearly preparing to confront the apocalypse…

The Chariot Lumian glanced at Mr. Fool at the head of the bronze long table and asked no further questions.

…

Trier, inside the luxurious villa.

Lumian, lying in the armchair, opened his eyes.

He reached out and touched his blood-red long hair, preparing to cut it short, but after thinking, he abandoned that plan.

Lumian stood up and paced the room, his mind filled with knowledge obtained above the gray fog.

He now understood that his goal of becoming a Sequence 0 true god and attempting to accommodate the City of Calamity was not only necessary for Aurore's resurrection but also a requirement to transcend Sequences and face the apocalypse.

Just one or two years to digest the Weather Warlock potion, become a Sequence 1 Archangel, then digest the corresponding Sequence 1 potion, find a way to defeat Red Angel Medici, perform the apotheosis ritual, and finally suppress the City of Calamity's consciousness to accommodate it, and possibly contest with the Primordial Demoness in between…

Isn't this timeline too pressing?

If luck is bad, I might not even complete the first step of digesting the Weather Warlock potion…

Lumian merely imagined the upcoming tasks and felt his scalp go numb, believing there was almost no hope of success.

Not to mention whether those steps could succeed, there simply wasn't enough time!

Digesting a demigod level potion itself required a very long time. Lumian's previous rapid digestion of the Despair and Unaging potions was due to two factors: first, the deity worshiped by the Aurora Order had actively exposed Himself, converting all previous arrangements into 'despair; second, leveraging Aurore's special status as a transmigrator from the past, with her soul fragments maintaining a certain activity, sealed inside him—an arrangement by the deity worshiped by the Aurora Order.

Now, Lumian couldn't see any opportunity for quickly digesting the Weather Warlock potion, and that deity seemed to have made no arrangements in this regard.

As an Angel of the Hunter pathway, Lumian already possessed steel-like willpower and fire-like courage. He quickly suppressed his instinctive retreat and fear, first considering the first step of digesting the Weather Warlock potion.

Based on my previous experience, there are two main approaches to quickly digest a potion: first, through special encounters that adjust one's mental and spiritual state to closely align with the potion's true meaning; second, by using a higher-level Beyonder as the object of acting, obtaining better digestion speed.

The first approach is no longer possible… Those higher than my level are Archangels, true gods, and great existences, and a Weather Warlock isn't meant to be acted out by people… Ask Them to be spectators, observing me change the weather and provide feedback?

Taking it a step further, change the weather in a true god's divine kingdom? At the next gathering, seek Mr. Fool's consent to add special effects to the Major Arcana's discussion, change the weather in Sefirah Castle?

I wonder if this would be effective… I'll seek Mr. Fool's guidance during the next prayer…

Lumian, with his initial thoughts taking shape, suddenly smiled self-deprecatingly.

There was a method that could help him digest the Weather Warlock potion in the shortest time possible.

Let Blood Emperor Alista Tudor resurrect within him, after which he would no longer need to digest other potions.

The only problem was that he would die, and Aurore would not be resurrected.

I wonder what arrangements Alista Tudor has made, if there's a way to use these arrangements to quickly digest the Weather Warlock potion? Lumian thought for a while but found no insights.

He then considered Madam Magician's suggestion.

Strengthen humanity, resist godhood, distinguish between normal and abnormal emotions, desires, and behaviors…

Anchors bring others' perceptions, and everyone's perception of me differs from my true self to some extent. This is also a form of corruption that can easily make my thoughts, spirit, and humanity chaotic, but it can be used to balance and resist godhood, giving my true self and humanity a chance to breathe…

If these are normal emotional responses that would arise from one's own humanity, even if overlapping with godhood, they don't need to be too suppressed and can be expressed normally?

Is this a kind of fusion?

Mr. Fool said in the dream city to both resist and merge… At the Angel stage, fusion is superficial, not obvious, mainly about resistance and suppression?

Lumian examined himself, sorting through different emotions and desires.

After a while, he roughly knew what he could do, to what extent, what must be strictly controlled, and what signs required immediate restraint.

Of course, having just advanced and not yet adapted to the potion, his state was unstable. Many things he could do now might be difficult to control, potentially being driven by godhood into terrible developments. So, he needed to initially digest the potion.

Thinking this, Lumian immediately used the Hunter pathway's Mental Communication to speak to Franca, Jenna, Ludwig, and Anthony, who had not yet left the 10-kilometer range.

'After becoming a Weather Warlock, Alista Tudor's arrangements might start to manifest. You must be more vigilant and attentive, especially regarding matters involving the Demoness Sect.'

Mental Communication would not transmit all inner thoughts or fleeting ideas to companions; there must be an intention to 'speak out' for the information to resonate in everyone's minds. If Lumian were to share a Manipulator's Beyonder powers and attach it to Mental Communication, he could achieve a weakened version of the Hall of Truth effect.

After speaking, Lumian took out a mirror to divine which region was experiencing extreme weather.

After obtaining the answer, he was about to teleport there.

Before activating the black mark on his right shoulder, he suddenly had a new idea.

Some ways to maintain and strengthen humanity can be done right now!

A wind rose, blowing open the bedroom window.

Then, Lumian sensed the spirit world coordinates of the target area while picking up the coat rack in the room and suddenly hurling it toward the sky.

The coat rack quickly ignited with a purplish-blue flame, speedily racing toward the horizon.

Lumian leaped lightly, jumping out the window and landing precisely on the burning coat rack.

Then, with his feet slightly apart and hands clasped behind his back, his coat fluttering, he rode the flame-engulfed coat rack, which was now faster than the speed of sound and still accelerating, toward the target area.

In the second-floor studio, Franca, momentarily distracted from her creation by Lumian's warning, heard a booming sound from high in the sky.

Wearing the Face of the Arcane, she stepped to the window and looked at the azure sky, just in time to see Lumian standing on a flaming 'great sword', hands behind his back, rapidly disappearing from her field of view, leaving behind a new sonic boom.

Franca's expression revealed envy.

At the same time, she quietly sighed in relief.

In the first-floor papal office, Jenna had been worried about the negative effects of Franca's fully automatic healing machine—which would make every healed person, upon recovery, filled with a desire to reproduce and want to have a child.

Her solution was to have padres and bishops treat common illnesses, pray to the great God of Disease for serious conditions, and subsequently, for those with families and partners, have the Sick Church handle the economic losses from childbirth. For those without partners, consider matchmaking, and if that failed, have Anthony handle it—making them feel that it was completely fine having had a child!

Hearing the sonic boom, she also came to the window, looking outside and seeing Lumian traveling in his peculiar and arrogant manner.

Jenna's face gradually broke into a smile.

She felt Lumian's state had improved somewhat.