LotM: Surviving as a Marionette

'But speaking of which… System, did you find anything else when you looted the corpse?'

Don pondered for a moment and asked the System mentally.

A mid-Sequence Beyonder triggering the instinctive vigilance of high-Sequence Beyonders was already abnormal in itself.

And the spiritual intuition of a Devil was terrifyingly sharp, yet apart from the sense of dread, there had been no other reaction. This clearly contradicted the typical traits of Beyonders on the Abyss Pathway.

He suspected that mid-Sequence was a vessel for a descent of the Dark Side of The Universe, or perhaps carried something from the Dark Side of The Universe.

Otherwise, it would be impossible for a mid-Sequence to make high-Sequences yield.

In that case, could the items passed through their hands have also retained something?

[No abnormalities detected,] the System replied. [No signs of anything related to the Abyss.]

The remnants of the Evernight Pathway's power had been deliberately preserved and strengthened by the System. If there had been contamination from other Pathways, the high-Sequence level "Artisan" module's scans would have easily detected it.

But within the Theater With Curtains That Never Draw, no traces of power related to an Abyssal Pathway's God were found.

Is it because they didn't care? Or because they couldn't?

The Dark Side of The Universe—this evil god's earliest recorded history could be traced back to the Second Epoch, known then as the ancient god; Devil Monarch Farbauti.

No—the key wasn't the true identity of the Dark Side of The Universe, but their current condition.

"What is it?" Owen noticed Don deep in thought and couldn't help but ask.

"What do you think the Dark Side of The Universe wants with those Marionettes inside the Theater?"

The Theater had unfolded in Tingen. If the Churches didn't react in time and dispatch high-Sequence Beyonders to try and seal it, in the worst-case scenario, everyone in Tingen could become Marionettes.

From a mysticism perspective, Marionettes were already the dead. But from a ritualistic perspective, when viewed as offerings for a sacrificial ceremony, Marionettes could breathe, had their own thoughts, intact spiritual bodies, blood flowing through their veins—they still met the standards for a blood sacrifice.

"Conducting a blood sacrifice with marionettes is far more concealed than triggering widespread slaughter, which would immediately draw the attention of high-Sequence Beyonders. And with the Theater capable of isolating itself from the Spirit World, it's obviously easier to pull that off."

Large-scale killings—in terms of ritual studies, especially within the devil domain—were one of the ways to petition higher beings for power.

But sometimes… Owen added, "Could it be they intend to summon a high-ranking devil?"

"That's possible… But what good does it do them to have a high-Sequence devil descend upon Tingen?" Don shook his head, rejecting Owen's speculation. He glanced at the poetry collection on the table, muttering to himself, "The True God of the Abyss Pathway has always been in poor condition…"

This information wasn't something they should have access to at their level, but Don knew it clearly.

Together with the God Bound by Chains, this one was known as the Disgrace of the True Gods. They had been contaminated by something foreign, struggled to resist, but lacked sufficient strength, lacked powerful allies, and were in poor condition.

In poor condition… In poor condition… So performing a blood sacrifice—what for?

Petition stronger Abyssal monsters? Petition beings beyond the True Gods? No… sacrificing ordinary people, no matter how many, wouldn't have the power to influence anything above the True Gods. For beings at that level, quantity rarely results in qualitative change.

From a ritualistic perspective, a ceremony to summon a high-Sequence demon…

Sequence 0: Abyss.

The Acting Principle inclined toward corruption, curses, poor condition, contamination, desire for descent, ceremonies to petition higher beings…

Damn it… They aren't trying to bring that… that child-bearing thing to Tingen to share the burden with them, are they?!

A response ceremony—to toss down their own contaminated parts.

You orthodox gods won't intervene? Making me suffer? Fine—let's ALL suffer! When your follower die en masse and corruption floods in, see if you still stay aloof!

Don was so frightened by his own speculation that he almost lost control of the marionettes beside him. He steadied his emotions, reviewed his terrifying guess again, his face involuntarily turning pale.

"No… Even if there's only a possibility… this possibility…"

It was too terrifying—this wasn't just at the level of Sequence 2 Angels. If this possibility truly existed… Tingen would be annihilated!

Is the Dark Side of The Universe so desperate now? So completely deteriorated that they want to drag everyone down with them?

"Where are you going?" Owen asked, frowning as Don's face alternated between pale and purple.

"To write a letter." Don strode forward, his steps even sharper than usual.

He was going to report this to the Churches!

Report that someone here was spreading feudal superstitions and conducting blood sacrifices!

Investigate! Investigate them to death! Force those old guys, those angels, to mobilize and scour all of Loen for Blood Worshippers and lunatics!

A chill ran down Don's spine. If anything really broke through the Seven Gods' blockade, the consequences would be catastrophic.

The corpse of an evil god? A contaminated corpse?

Just seeing it, just imagining it, its mere existence would represent absolute madness and the unspeakable!

That could lead to the fall of an entire nation!

Don walked out of the study, taking a deep breath.

"System."

[Host, I'm here.]

"Check where that mid-Sequence who used the Theater With Curtains That Never Draw in Tingen went."

[Requires expenditure… Failed, higher-ranked power interference detected!]

[Attempting again… Failed, higher-ranked power interference detected!]

Impossible. Even if the other party had lost most of their power, whether it was a divine descent or an item carried by that mid-Sequence, they shouldn't be able to contaminate a Sealed Artifact at the angel level. Their rank would instinctively resist the System's scan.

It was the same as when identifying those Marionettes in the Theater. Even after consuming a high-Sequence Beyonder Uniqueness, the System struggled to pinpoint their true location, even though the Spirit World contained their information.

"Perhaps… if I consumed a True God… or a Uniqueness…"

But what does that mean? That he should go solo the God of Craftsmanship? Or hunt down the Hidden Sage, wherever they might be hiding?

[It's not impossible.]

"Don't mess around."

[Oh…]

Even with enough Knowledge Fragments, the System couldn't do a thing. The interference from high-ranked powers completely disabled its ability to locate the target. It couldn't even determine if they were still in Tingen.

"I hope this speculation is wrong."

Don felt a headache coming on.

The Dark Side of The Universe was an evil god still present in the Fifth Epoch. Logically, things shouldn't have escalated to mutual destruction yet. He could only hope he was overthinking it.

Still, before informing the Churches, Don first sought out his father and laid out his speculation in full.

The insight of high-Sequence Beyonders far exceeded his own guessing games. But after hearing Don's explanation, even Owen and Baron Lamud, who had come along, fell into rare silence.

In reality, it wasn't entirely impossible.

"I'll investigate this matter personally," Baron Lamud said in a low voice. "In the short term, don't leave here."

"As for the Churches… I'll notify them."

Though there was some awkwardness—after all, the Death and the Evernight Goddess were bitter enemies—but when it involved evil gods, extreme horrors, and millions of citizens, the still-human Baron Lamud opened his mouth with a deep voice.

(End of Chapter)