LotM: Surviving as a Marionette

Exiting his father's study, Don finally let out a long exhale.

"Still, looking at it positively, as long as there are no sacrificial offerings or large-scale rituals, the Dark Side of the Universe won't be able to infiltrate."

If there were more convenient methods to summon the corrupted parts of itself, it wouldn't have resorted to this.

At least the situation wasn't hopeless.

"Nothing should happen in Tingen. The 'Theater With Curtains That Never Draw' is now in my possession. Attempting a large-scale massacre in the territory of a powerhouse capable of sealing 'Grade 0' Sealed Artifacts would carry too high a risk of exposure. If I were the Dark Side of the Universe, I'd abandon Tingen and target another city."

The Blood Sanctify Sect might possess other 'Grade 0' Sealed Artifacts, but they wouldn't have many.

As Don walked toward his room, he opened the system inventory.

The Sealed Artifact formed from the twisted fusion of a Marionettist and a Winner lay quietly inside.

[Sealed Artifact: "A Moment of Luck" (Mutated Niǔhùlù Edition) ]

[Item Information: Formerly the Beyonder Characteristics of a Winner (Monster Pathway), it merged with the Beyonder Characteristics of a Marionettist (Seer Pathway) who died from mental collapse. It retains the abilities of both pathways!]

[It has developed some 'living' traits.]

[Description: This is a wooden cane inlaid with gold, sleek and smooth in design. Of moderate length and ergonomically crafted, its shaft is engraved with ancient Hermes script, translatable as: "Brief luck is not lifelong luck." However, most of this text is now obscured by strange stains. Despite this, one can still sense that the item's previous owner believed occasional luck to be crucial.

Yet, after remaining inseparable from its former master through life and death, it seems to have undergone… minor changes.

This item passively stores luck. When activated with spirituality, the holder gains one 'astonishing' stroke of chance—though whether this chance is good or bad, the now-Niǔhùlù cane does not know. Perhaps you could regale it with tales of its previous owner's tragic fate? It might delight in hearing them.

Holding this item enhances the user's Beyonder abilities in divination, anti-divination, and related fields.

As a cane, it naturally functions as one. When confronting enemies, you may raise it and, while endeavoring not to bash their skulls in, convert them into marionettes: Upon channeling spirituality, the target's spiritual body threads will begin to fall under control within three seconds, fully transforming them into the cane's marionette in fifteen. However, the number of marionettes cannot exceed thirty—or you might become the one getting your head bashed in. After all, a cane is just a cane; it's no human!

The holder may replicate their Beyonder abilities onto controlled marionettes. Such specialized marionettes are limited to five and must remain within 800 meters of the cane.

The holder can also swap positions with their marionettes.

The item grants access to partial spell-like Beyonder abilities of mid-to-low sequences, such as those of a Magician or Faceless.]

[Negative Effects: It will occasionally bring misfortune upon the holder—after all, luck must balance out.]

Hold it long enough, and the holder might become its marionette!

[Warning: This item consumes vast amounts of spirituality and appears irrational, occasionally muttering strange knowledge… The best approach is to soothe it by sharing things it enjoys hearing.]

Overall, the Marionettist's abilities seem inherited but weakened, likely due to fusion with the Winner's Beyonder Characteristics and degradation from the original owner's madness-induced death.

"As for… things it enjoys hearing?"

This Sealed Artifact, contaminated by 'forbidden knowledge,' seems intensely fearful of 'things not to be seen or heard.'

Would reciting "Praise the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth" a few times make it implode on the spot?

Don tossed the item into the 'Artisan' module, initially intending to dismantle and reconstitute it. But after a pause, he asked the system, "Hey, System—"

The system stayed silent, sensing its host was scheming something.

"You think the stuff it mutters might be… secrets of 'Above the True Gods'?"

The kind that kills you upon hearing.

[That… is possible.] The system's mechanical voice turned cautious after data analysis.

"Fine. Optimize it for me—no need to dismantle it." Don said. "After mitigating the negative effects, ideally, it should speak or shut up on command, and only say things people 'love to hear'."

He emphasized "love to hear." The system fell silent.

Are you planning to cosplay? Cosplay the True Creator and 'play' with others?

"Problem?"

[Not… impossible. Optimization is feasible, but no guarantees on output.]

The system hedged.

"Good enough."

Don was satisfied.

As for Don himself hearing the whispers… this 'forbidden knowledge' originated from him. Even if the cane got overexcited, it shouldn't drive him to instant loss of control. Plus, with the system as a buffer, he could always stockpile 'knowledge fragments' for a 'Knowledge Persues Man' contingency.

"One more thing…"

Back in his room, Don examined the purified, reconstituted Beyonder Characteristics of the Sequence 4: Black Knight from the Hanged Man Pathway, now stripped of the True Creator's corruption.

He felt he still lacked a highly offensive mystical item.

Theater With Curtains That Never Draw was too unwieldy outside its domain, and the Ring of the Curator wasn't suited for combat.

"I need a powerful offensive Sealed Artifact."

A Marionettist's own combat prowess was limited, and he could currently control only one marionette at most.

After some thought, Don had the marionette trailing him embark on another trip. Both returned to the Theater, where Olsen had already sorted the Beyonder Characteristics, ready to dispatch them to the family after leaving.

"I heard nothing I shouldn't have," Olsen said. "At dawn, I'll send a letter to inform the family."

"Good."

Don withheld his suspicions about the Blood Sanctify Sect's actions. Activating the Ring of the Curator, he left the area temporarily designated as the 'Plaza' and entered a space shrouded by black curtains hanging from above, dotted with faintly glowing 'stars.'

These 'stars' were Beyonder Characteristics extracted from the giant marionette!

A kaleidoscope of Beyonder Characteristics hung across the sky, partitioned by countless black drapes into isolated cubicles—both countering the Law of Convergence and acting as 'filters' to prevent lower-sequence observers from going mad at a glance.

The ring on Don's pinky flickered white, and two sets of Beyonder Characteristics descended:

One from a Manipulator, the other from a Lightseeker.

(End of Chapter)