Endless Debt

Bologue had two major mysteries in his life. One was why he had descended into this world, and the other was who the devil he had made a deal with truly was.

Unlike the Tyrant and the Crimson Queen, these two devils could be contacted in many ways, even face-to-face communication. Yet the devil who traded away his soul was different. Since Bologue became a debtor, that devil vanished, never to appear before him again.

Bologue forgot the contents of the transaction, only remembering that it happened during the battle of the Fall of the Holy City. But when the deal was complete and he awoke again, many years had passed.

His memories became blurred and fragmented, even the devil's appearance was unclear, as if the devil had never existed.

Initially, Bologue did not care much, but as he learned more about this world, he became keenly aware that all conflicts seemed to stem from the Fall of the Holy City, and it was within the Fall that he became a debtor.

Bologue found it hard not to connect everything together, making him increasingly focused on that devil.

After repeatedly speculating, Bologue sometimes began to doubt whether his ability to absorb Soul Shards might not be some kind of special blessing...

Just like those Carnivores, who can heal their bodies by consuming flesh and blood after receiving the Crimson Queen's protection, could his absorption of Soul Shards also be a form of the devil's protection?

Blessing and protection coexist.

Bologue did not find such examples in the "Devil and Electric Guitar Operation Guide," but that does not mean they do not exist.

And then there was the void world he would see after death.

Bologue believed everything had meaning; he would not arrive in that world for no reason. Even if it was void, it surely had its own significance, and these two would be his clues in pursuing the devil.

"You really are a strange person, Bologue."

Teda looked at Bologue lying on the operating table. Perhaps the undead had dulled senses toward pain and danger, sometimes Teda really could not fathom Bologue's thoughts.

"But to be clear, I can conduct soul detection, but if you want to undergo trials, you need to return to the Order Bureau, where there are enough Alchemy Materials."

Teda said as he fastened Bologue's limbs tightly with straps, then applied electrode patches to his body, wires densely covered Bologue's body.

"I remember the Order Bureau provides Alchemy Materials free of charge until I advance to become a Prayer Believer," Bologue said.

"That's correct. After becoming a Prayer Believer, the Alchemy Materials needed for advancement are extremely expensive and rare, so you need to strive for yourselves."

Teda explained as he worked, "Different Alchemists will propose different Alchemy Materials, so the materials needed for advancement are not fixed."

"I don't know about those, my understanding of this knowledge is limited to the 'Golden Thesis'," Bologue said.

"Then you are rather ignorant. The 'Golden Thesis' is, in our eyes as Alchemists, merely a catalog of knowledge... Do you know the specific principles of advancement?" Teda wondered, asking Bologue.

His vision was obscured by the overhead lights; everything was a blur as he could not see Teda's face, only a vague silhouette.

"After completing three trials, the Condenser's body, mind, and spirit are further strengthened, becoming closer to the Ether. Advancement will proceed like a transformation of metal, along with the Alchemy Matrix," Bologue recalled the knowledge from the book.

"Do you know what the consumption of Alchemy Materials during the advancement ceremony is for?" Teda asked again.

"I don't know," Bologue shook his head, unsure, "What are they used for?"

"I don't know either."

Teda's answer was surprising, causing Bologue to look at the fuzzy silhouette with a confused gaze.

"It's hard to describe... We can produce different effects through various Alchemy Material combinations, but in the advancement ceremony, the connection between Alchemy Materials and the Condenser is insignificant," Teda said.

"The Alchemy Materials don't act on the Condenser?"

"Correct, compared to the Condenser, the Alchemy Materials have a deeper connection to the 'Secret Source' — like a ticket. Using expensive Alchemy Materials opens the path toward the 'Secret Source', allowing you to acquire the power of the 'Secret Source' and complete advancement," Teda said.

"Are you saying, during my advancement, I will briefly come into contact with the 'Secret Source'?"

Bologue's curiosity was fully piqued.

Secret Source.

It is far more mysterious, the ultimate source of all Ether.

Alchemists believe the "Secret Source" to be the sum of all worldly truths, while Condensers think attaining the "Secret Source" would grant supreme power.

Silently existing in the void, yet more alluring than the devil.

"Every Condenser during advancement will infinitely strengthen their connection to the 'Secret Source', although this connection is very brief, and you may not even notice it yourselves, but it is indeed so."

"Just like the three trials, right? The more we etherealize ourselves, the closer we get to the 'Secret Source', meaning..." Not waiting for Bologue to finish speaking, Teda interrupted.

"Yes, every advancement grants the Condenser an opportunity to glimpse the 'Secret Source'. The higher the tier of the Condenser, the more they can feel the presence of the 'Secret Source' and have a tighter connection."

Teda then mentioned another name, his voice carrying a deep respect.

"Do you know why alchemists hold King Solomon in such high regard?"

"He was a grandmaster of alchemy, reaching an unprecedented pinnacle in his mastery of the craft. Some even believe he grasped the truth... namely, the 'Secret Source.'

Bologue shared his knowledge of King Solomon, and precisely because King Solomon was infinitely close to the 'Secret Source,' everyone unanimously chose to destroy him.

The information about the Fall of the Holy City was tightly sealed, burying King Solomon's secrets along with it. The intelligence that Bologue obtained was compiled from the books of the Order Bureau.

So many years have passed, and despite the layers of sealing, the intelligence he acquired is sparse, making it difficult to discern its truthfulness.

"Not only that," Teda added, "King Solomon was also a powerful Condenser."

Bologue seemed to have realized something, his eyes filled with disbelief, as Teda's voice softly arose.

"He was not only an alchemy grandmaster but also a Seeker of Glory."

There was no need for Teda to elaborate further, for Bologue had already guessed.

"Is this the reason the Holy City was destroyed?" Bologue's voice quivered slightly.

"At least, according to the intelligence I had access to as the minister of the Sublimation Furnace Core, and my personal conjectures, this seems to be the case."

Teda spoke as he initiated the ritual, and the glow of the Alchemy Matrix surfaced on the operating table, with golden dust pervading every corner of sight.

"King Solomon was too close to the 'Secret Source.'

So close that he almost received that sacred crown."

Crowned.

Bologue had no time to ask more questions, for the ritual had already commenced, sending piercing pain like broken bones through his entire body, and dim light arcs emerged from within, appearing one by one in Teda's eyes.

What many failed to notice was the true form of a soul; some believed the soul to be a phantom resembling oneself, but Teda knew well that in reality, a soul is just a mass of shapeless light.

The reason the soul presents a human-like form during the ritual is merely due to the reflection of the body upon it. Once the body perishes, the soul loses its tether and dissipates.

If one could reverse this entirety...

If one could once again bind the soul to the body...

Teda refrained from further contemplation and instead focused on examining Bologue, as the ethereal light gradually clarified, and compared to others' souls, Bologue's was undoubtedly dimmer.

This was a normal condition, considering his soul was incomplete. Upon keen observation, slender trails interwove within it, those being the Alchemy Matrix engraved upon the soul.

The golden dust began to fall, evenly spreading over the ethereal light, the glow of the spirit body remained stable, without signs of disintegration or reformation, indicating Bologue's soul was unexpectedly stable.

"Strange indeed, how long has it been since you advanced to a Condenser, and yet your soul is already so stable, or is it the undead nature rendering your soul extremely resilient?"

Teda questioned, but Bologue did not respond.

His gaze shifted toward Bologue, and only then did Teda realize Bologue had already closed his eyes, his face pale and covered in cold sweat.

Turning his gaze to the side at the electrocardiogram, the fluctuating lines had long vanished, replaced by a steady forward-moving line, with a prolonged beeping echoing in his ears.

...

Opening his eyes, every part of his body was enveloped in a frigid and biting cold, lifting his hand, tiny ice crystals clung between the lines of his palm.

Bologue once more found himself in this void-like world, with massive rocks colliding and grinding against each other, dim and resplendent lights traversing in all directions.

At each death, he witnessed such scenes, yet typically, he could not wander this dead world for long, unable to explore anything even if he desired to.

What's most peculiar, Bologue found it difficult to retain memories in the after-death realm.

Everything experienced here felt like a wondrous dream to Bologue; upon awakening, he could vaguely recall the scenes of the after-death world, yet they always appeared blurred, unreal.

During the implant ritual, he remembered arriving in the after-death world, and on that occasion, he seemed to have watched a movie here, yet the content of the movie completely eluded his memory.

Everything was fragmented and enigmatic, entirely dissipating after waking from the dream.

However, upon subsequent contemplation, Bologue discovered one fact, in a conventional death scenario, he would only briefly linger here, but during the implant ritual, though his memories were unclear, Bologue could be certain that he stayed here for a long time.

After a simple process of elimination, Bologue concluded that when the soul is affected and dies, he is able to dwell here for an extended duration.

Now it seems, Bologue's conjecture was correct, and so what remains is the search.

Bologue turned his gaze toward the deathly still world.

Searching for clues related to the Devil.