When the plot-skips players into the game world

After defeating the Blood Celestial Marshal—in a strict sense, it was defeating the Son of Nihility together with the Blood Celestial Marshal, thereby resolving the crisis of the Blood Celestial Marshal's descent from another perspective, Aiwass did not leave Iris Flower immediately.

There wasn't any special reason either.

——Just simply not wanting someone else to reap the benefits.

After the Blood Celestial Marshal descended, it annihilated all the Moon Children of the Iris Flower—although some had already transformed into Fog Demons and thus escaped this fate, the upper echelons of the "Health Party" controlled by the Moon Children were almost directly evaporated.

Even in Iris Flower, the existence of the Moon Children wasn't something that could be publicly revealed.

After all, they were blood-sucking monsters. Their presence could never be deemed entirely legal from anywhere—admitting their legality would imply a disguised acknowledgment that humans had become their food.

Thus, the Moon Children of Iris Flower chose another route: they manipulated media and controlled parliament to prevent the information from spreading, using social influence to steer the direction of investigations. As a result, their identity as Moon Children couldn't be exposed at all, even if it was, it couldn't be confirmed, and even if confirmed, they could still say, "That's all fake news" and deny it.

But now, the extinction of the Moon Children can't be hidden.

Previously, the lower masses didn't notice anything happening... but after so many days, and the "server-wide announcement" from Hourglass, the death of the Blood Celestial Marshal and the extinction of the Moon Children couldn't be concealed. When people realized this, public opinion exploded almost instantly—in almost a day, the news had spread throughout the Iris Kingdom.

The Iris Kingdom's tone is one of a two-party system.

As the "Health Party" was forced to reveal that the upper echelons were all Moon Children, and completely lost political power to hide this fact... it meant that the opposing "Giant Tree Party" suddenly soared.

They didn't do anything, yet the enemy party exploded!

Those who reached such positions are all skilled. Perhaps they dared not take initiative... but when opportunities arise, failing to seize them would be sheer incompetence.

They immediately began to publicize the sins of the Moon Children, what unforgivable crimes they committed, which of them were assassinated or persecuted by the Moon Children, and what sacrifices they made to combat the Moon Children...

These statements aren't wrong. However, in reality, they didn't truly do anything very meaningful. They didn't even dare to expose someone as a Moon Child.

Because Moon Children are tightly united, they choose revenge for each other's deaths. But they aren't... and couldn't possibly be. Whoever exposes the other's identity and provokes the Health Party could find themselves abandoned by the Giant Tree Party amidst relentless retaliation.

When facing the Moon Children, you don't take action; the moment the Moon Children died, you leap out to claim credit.

What does it have to do with you!

Given this, Aiwass decided to stay a few more days.

To put them in their place.

Aiwass thinks he's been quite tolerant, rarely resorting to slaughtering whole families—of course, Moon Children don't count as humans. After all, there's nothing too urgent to attend to... although the Benevolent Lords from the Parthian Ancient Country invited Aiwass to visit, taking one's time doesn't really matter for such things; going too quickly would seem overly eager.

Though he served as Pope for only a month, he was indeed an authentic Eternal Pope, even now still recognized by the Eternal Theocracy as a former leader. By etiquette, it should be the other party sending a letter, actively going to the Holy Nation to visit the Pope and meeting Aiwass. Although Aiwass is "invited" to visit, this already reveals somewhat of the other party's complacency.

Aiwass can understand this.

The Ring of Ouroboros ritual has just unfolded, and the Wall of Balance has never been broken since its establishment.

The sixth power level of the Path of Devotion has always existed, passed down through generations; but the sixth power level of the transcendence Path is legitimately a once in four thousand years... a world first! Even in a game, being top-ranked and first to clear a raid, to be wildly popular on video sites, forums, Tieba for days is quite normal, not to mention in the real world.

For the Benevolent Lords who live like emperors, pampered every day, it's strange if he's not overconfident—and if so, Aiwass would suspect he's up to something big.

Understandable, but not to be indulged. In any case, let it sit for a few days.

On the other side, with intelligence that Aiwass provided, Duke Argon de Vandom had started preemptively targeting the transcendent of the Path of Love.

The reason is also simple. Because the higher-ranking transcendents of the Path of Love basically can only join the Health Party, otherwise they're easily persecuted—the persecution being quite simple, as getting killed by the Moon Children and resurrected means automatically joining the Health Party.

So they simply have no choice.

And the Old Duke foresaw the reality—if the Path of Love couldn't push past its limits, it'd be fine, just leave the blame entirely to the Health Party. And the Giant Tree Party's attacks, along with the Hawkeye Organization's fanaticism, couldn't possibly be stopped.

However, if these transcendent of the Path of Love have a chance to turn the tables... it would mean that after reaching the sixth power level, they're very likely to immediately retaliate. At that point, the entire country could be thrown into chaos. Because the Moon Children, ironically, need the existence of a nation, but as individuals, the transcendents are inherently indifferent... not to mention the transcendents of the Path of Love, who act impulsively and care about "love and hate."

If they truly cared about power and the bigger picture, they would have stepped into the Path of Authority.

Each of these people, like the Uchiha, might suddenly reveal some indescribably powerful madman at any moment.

While waiting for the Giant Tree Party to make a move, Aiwass focused on sorting his cards and spent a few days resting with Isabel at the Vandom Family's residence.

He registered the newly evolved Aleister and Don Quixote in the Book of Law—in the past, to quickly summon Don Quixote during confrontations with the Book of Law, Aiwass hadn't registered him, just as he never registered the Shadow Cloak.

Taking out a book to cast a spell versus taking out a card to cast a spell—though the timing is similar, the stealth is different.

Both Don Quixote, who was registered, and the evolved Aleister, gained new abilities due to the sacred traits of the Book of Law.

That ability was named "Official Entry."

Just like when the Night Fiend officially enters, he can apply curse vulnerability to everyone; when the King of the Wild Hunt officially enters, he can summon the "Followers of Helquinn" to launch an assault. The "Official Entry" of the Defiant Flame Butterfly requires it to die once, and when it officially enters as a Non-burning Butterfly from the ashes, it can deal massive damage to all burning enemies.

Aleister's original official entry ability was not very meaningful—that was as a Holy Blood Angel, able to heal Aiwass when entering. This was the unique "self-healing ability" of the Son of the Moon, but it was useless to Aiwass.

But with the Celestial Marshal Shard obtained, this ability evolved.

It changed from originally healing Aiwass to "instantaneously healing and berserking all surrounding allies." The Night Fiend's curse vulnerability didn't change, except the vulnerability level increased from LV4 to LV7, meaning that below the seventh power level, the curse cannot be immunized, and even a first power level curse can affect seventh power level Transcendents, with effects significantly enhanced.

These can only be considered somewhat useful, but not too useful. For Aiwass now, they are additional skills at most, and for the Great Sin Beast with a Celestial Marshal Shard, they are not as useful as authority abilities.

Unexpectedly, Don Quixote's official entry ability was quite practical—

[Effect: Every time the Holy Sword Holding enters and exits the field, it leaves an illusion to block damage for teammates]

Aiwass specifically tested this ability.

Its actual effect was more useful than its literal meaning—in simple terms, it allows summoning two Don Quixotes simultaneously, one illusion to block damage, while the other can switch the sword to an axe to attack. The Don Quixote blocking damage can only take a limited amount of damage and cannot be healed; it disappears once damaged...but it at least gives Don Quixote some combat capability.

The auxiliary ability of the Holy Sword Clarent is quite strong, increasing damage dealt by 50% when hitting someone.

However, when Don Quixote is summoned, it's often to resist damage, not to burst. When he uses his active effect to create absolute defense, he self-destructs before activating that significant damage increase.

But now it's different.

Don Quixote can leave a light illusion when entering and exiting, resisting damage. If it successfully blocks damage with the Holy Sword, it doesn't get hurt and thus remains intact. If it fails to block, it directly bursts.

While the illusion exists, Don Quixote himself can switch to the axe to deal damage or the sword for support...making it so he doesn't explode upon landing as a throwaway unit, increasing his practical use significantly.

Indeed, with Don Quixote and Aleister, Aiwass has become less fond of summoning the King of the Wild Hunt.

Aleister is faster than the King of the Wild Hunt, and as a frontline tank for damage and dealing damage, Don Quixote is more useful. Purely in terms of damage, they are both weaker than the King of the Wild Hunt...yet Aiwass isn't particularly lacking in damage. After all, if damage was truly needed, why not summon the Defiant Flame Butterfly instead?

In terms of damage alone, Vinesse and Aleister, even after obtaining the Celestial Marshal Shard, don't surpass the little butterfly without the shard.

And Aiwass seldomly used the Wild Hunt King's upright summon effect—transforming into a phantasm and entering the Spiritual World, unable to damage the Material Realm or be targeted or damaged by most Material Realm attacks. As for the bloodsucking effect that's half use, it is insignificant to Aiwass, who doesn't lack recovery.

Aiwass generally fights tough enemies in team battles, and before Don Quixote appeared, he often played the defender himself. He couldn't run—if he hid in the Spiritual World, his teammates would suffer. Now, he can retreat, but Don Quixote's defense is quite reliable, so he doesn't need to...

This active ability is not very useful.

It needs to be re-optimized with the Celestial Marshal Shard—like how Aleister, after equipping the Celestial Marshal Shard, transformed from "Holy Blood Manipulator" capable of freely controlling blood like Moon Spirit Marrow Liquid, into "Holy Blood Baptism" that can animate dead objects. It's not about being stronger or weaker, as it's a completely different ability.

"Wind attribute Celestial Marshal..."

Aiwass muttered, lost in thought.

And as Aiwass contemplated, the situation with the Iris Flower was indeed deteriorating as he anticipated.

The first to act out was the Hawkeye Organization.