Chapter Text
At the astral barrier, the figure of Gehrman Sparrow, who had been waiting, emerged. With his star-encrusted cane and black gloves, he stepped in front of The Fool Klein.
His expression was cold; he revealed a faint smile, took a step forward, and merged with The Fool Klein's figure.
The two became one!
The Fool Klein's body abruptly collapsed inward. Within the depths of his black cloak like robe, a glowing bluish-black door seemed to flicker in and out of existence.
The star-encrusted cane and black gloves collapsed inward as well, forming a massive vortex within the cloak-a terrifying vortex.
Every gust of wind, droplet of water, and ray of light in the vortex consisted of writhing worms, segmented insects, and tiny, starlit creatures.
Within a second or two, the vortex was also devoured.
The inside of the black- cloak-like robe became an abyss, seemingly infinite, as if it contained an entire universe and a spirit world connected to every planet in the universe.
As this transformation occurred, grayish-white fog rapidly spread throughout the World of Ruins, enveloping the entire planet and all living beings.
Beyond the barrier, in the boundless universe, faint gray fog began to spread as well, though no one could say when it had started.
Living beings within the fog either became dull-witted, filled with cunning, or inexplicably transported to the place they knew most intimately.
Numerous rules malfunctioned, and many symbols were fooled.
Time stopped.
At the astral barrier, within the darkness inside the black cloak-like robe, smooth tentacles inscribed with mysterious patterns suddenly emerged.
They slipped into black gloves at the sleeves and lifted the star-encrusted cane.
Next, under the hood of the robe, a face slowly emerged from the darkness-a face with black hair and golden eyes.
It was Klein Moretti's face.
The Lord of Mysteries was born.
The ruler of the spirit world had returned.
Subsequently, all activity ceased, and a brilliant light illuminated the surroundings; the intricate threads of space, time, and fate unraveled.
In that moment, only an unsettling silence prevailed.
In the vast spirit world above where, the Seven Lights dwell.
Amidst the realm of gray mist, an individual with black hair was descended from a ruptured cocoon, hanging from the top of a bluish black door consisting of light and mist, attired in a meticulously tailored dark blue suit, complete with a vest and white shirt.
He was adorned with a silver metallic timepiece, golden-framed spectacles, and draped in an expansive black robe.
Shortly thereafter, a massive convergence started .
Moments later, two Sequence 1 Attendants of Mysteries and Fool Uniqueness, merged with him.
Subsequently, three Keys of Stars Beyonder characteristics along with Door Uniqueness and three Worms of Time Beyonder characteristics were positioned beside him.
A grayish-white mist began to permeate the spirit world.
Creatures inhabiting the spirit world, along with the Seven Lights, found themselves momentarily disoriented and perplexed; certain symbols within the spirit realm fooled.
Nevertheless, they continued on their paths as if the brief episode of confusion had been entirely forgotten.
Only the Seven Lights persisted in gazing above the spirit realm.
In the mysterious realm enveloped in a thick gray fog, the individual found himself lying upon an indistinct surface, acutely aware of ethereal echoes that reverberated around him.
These echoes were not mere sounds; they manifested as whispers of fervent prayers, directed towards him as if they were uttered by the very hand of destiny itself.
As these soft, gentle feminine voice enveloped him, he sensed a deep yearning and profound adoration intertwined within her tone.
The warmth of their sentiments ignited a comforting sensation within his being, creating an almost palpable connection that tethered him firmly to this present reality.
This emotional embrace acted as a lifeline, anchoring him amidst the obscurities of his surroundings.
However, this tranquil moment was soon interrupted by the emergence of a masculine voice, which seemed to request him gently, coaxing him to confront the inevitable reality of his own fate.
It was a reminder that he could not linger indefinitely in this intermediate state; he must eventually awaken to his true circumstances.
This thought induced a sudden shock, jolting him awake with startling clarity.
Zhou Mingrui, who was awakened suddenly, surveyed his immediate surroundings, his eyes adjusting to the thick gray fog that enveloped him.
Confused, Zhou Mingrui tried to find out why this place felt familiar to him. ‘Sefirah Castle, Door of Light’, these two names suddenly surfaced in his mind.
As he looked around, he saw a few jelly-like substances around him, ‘3 Key of Stars beyonder characteristics, door uniqueness and 3 worm of time beyonder characteristics’, these terms automatically popped into his mind ‘Did he lose his memory? Why do those things look and feel so familiar?’
Within him stirred an instinctive urge to quickly accommodate the door's uniqueness before him.
This sense of urgency propelled Zhou Mingrui to instinctively enter into deep cogitation striving to maintain his consciousness as he resisted the instinctive pull of convergence.
Zhou Mingrui opened his eyes looking quite alert, ‘My body seemed to instinctively react when facing certain threats and while he was in cogitation he figured out that his future self transferred his memories, which seemed like watching a movie along with quite a few instructions. There is also mysticism and random knowledge. Did his future self read a whole library or else why is there random knowledge on tailoring, female fashion, law, plumbing, farming, baby care and so on.’
He recognized that his abilities was that of a sequence 0, true deity of the Fool pathway and once he had accommodated the Door Uniqueness and beyonder characteristics' along with Error Uniqueness and beyonder characteristics' he would become The Lord of Mysteries, above the sequence or an great old one according to the memories given by his supposed future self, if he is to believe in them.
Although he could use the sefirah castle to manipulate the abilities of the adjacent pathways.
Zhou Mingrui found himself with many temporary anchors given by his future self but he did not know who it came from.
These temporary anchors can keep 'him' stable for at least 10 more years, before dissipating towards the existence it came from.
As he looked down at himself he was taken aback upon discovering the attire he was wearing—clothes unmistakably belonging to the sharp, formal aesthetic of a business professional from the 21st century.
Zhou Mingrui realized that this very ensemble was remarkably familiar; it was indeed the outfit Zhou Mingrui had worn the day prior to his unexpected transmigration or time travel; his future self and his current self had in the 5th epoch several years in future…or past. But for him it was like yesterday.
As he reflected on that time, Zhou Mingrui was reminded of the series of unfortunate events that had plagued him during the week leading up to his transmigration.
These misfortunes had not only caused significant setbacks in his daily life but had also imposed considerable strain on his physical, mental, and financial well-being.
One instance loomed particularly large in his memory: the day he had been unable to attend a crucial shareholder meeting due to a sudden, inexplicable breakdown of his car.
This incident had resulted in significant ramifications for his career, leaving him anxious and frustrated.
Furthermore, he recalled another unpleasant occurrence from that same tumultuous week—he had inadvertently become trapped in an elevator on the morning he was to travel to his office.
This unfortunate delay necessitated the rescheduling of an important meeting, compounding the stress that had become all too familiar in his life.
The assistant carelessly positioned his chilled sweet iced tea at the very edge of his desk, a hasty decision that resulted in the beverage toppling over and drenching him in sticky liquid.
The unexpected spill not only left him in a sticky predicament but also disrupted his concentration as he scrambled to clean up the mess.
Later that day, an unfortunate twist of fate struck when he fell victim to food poisoning after indulging in a hasty meal at a local fast-food establishment.
The consequences of this poor dietary choice were severe enough to necessitate a day-long hospitalization, where he was left to recuperate, feeling both physically unwell and frustrated over the interruption to his work.
Just as he began to regain a semblance of normalcy, another calamity occurred.
While engaged in a conversation with his cousin regarding the intricate financial statements of their company, his phone slipped from his grasp and plummeted into a nearby drain.
This unfortunate incident not only severed his line of communication but also resulted in a significant loss of important contacts and information.
Throughout the day, he encountered a myriad of inconveniences stemming from his new phone.
The arduous task of transferring data proved both time-consuming and fraught with complications, while opening crucial applications became a hurdle that interrupted his productivity and focus.
The new device, rather than enhancing his workflow, seemed to complicate matters further.
As if fate were determined to thwart his plans, his laptop unexpectedly crashed, leading to the complete loss of vital data, including a meticulously crafted program and a comprehensive list of projects slated for the upcoming quarter.
Faced with the necessity of recreating these important documents from scratch, he found himself working late into the night, fueled by a mixture of determination and lingering frustration.
Finally, having prepared extensively for a formal lunch meeting with a prospective business partner, he arrived at the designated location only to be stood up, a result of a breakdown in communication wherein his partner's assistant had neglected to relay a change in schedule.
The disappointment was palpable; what should have been a productive discussion turned into a solitary affair, leaving him with a sense of disillusionment.
That afternoon, after returning home from the rather disheartening lunch, he stumbled upon the intriguing volume entitled "Arcane Arts and Divination" nestled among the various volumes that populated his study bookshelf.
The sight of the book reignited memories of an antique gathering he had attended with his father the previous year—a significant event that seemed to linger in his mind.
It was at that gathering where he had first acquired the book, where he pretended to read, amidst the lively discussions and debates around him.
In fact, it was the only item he found himself able to read and comprehend within the context of that event.
Surrounded by a cadre of elderly gentlemen—each of whom argued and boasted about their own extensive collections—Zhou Mingrui had felt a certain aversion to engaging with them.
The atmosphere was charged with heated declarations about the rarity and value of antiques, but he pretended to immerse himself in the esoteric knowledge contained in his newfound possession.
His reluctance to participate in those conversations stemmed not from his disinterest in the antiques themselves but from a deeper concern.
He was acutely aware that were he to cross paths with any of those seasoned collectors, they might very well inquire about his aspirations for the future or, perhaps even more intrusively, when he intended to marry.
This was a topic he wished to avoid at all costs, particularly because of the absence of his cousins at the gathering, he is the most likely the focus as a bachelor candidate for matchmaking.
Zhou Mingrui was of mixed heritage; his father, a rich second generation Chinese man who pursued his studies overseas, had met their mother—an individual of European descent with captivating brown hair and striking amber eyes, hailing from an aristocratic family—during his academic journey.
Their love story unfolded with the grace and inevitability of a classic romance, ultimately culminating in marriage. Which in turn led him, Zhou Mingrui be born.
His father is the only child of his grandparents. While his mother was the youngest in the family, has a brother who had married a Ukrainian lady. His uncle has twin sons. One involved in scientific research and the other in administration and law.
Zhou Mingrui, the youngest among his generation, was born into a family that harbored lofty aspirations for him.
This pressure was largely driven by the remarkable achievements of his two older cousins, Lucas Moretti and Grisha Adams, who were almost a decade older.
Lucas Moretti had been meticulously groomed from an early age to assume control of the substantial family legacy, dedicating himself to rigorous training and hard work following his father's footsteps.
While Grisha was the typical other family’s child who did a PHD and became a geo scientist.
Their commitment to excellence was palpable, inspiring Zhou Mingrui to admire them significantly and strive to follow in their footsteps.
In this environment of ambition and expectation, Zhou Mingrui also endeavored to meet his parents’ high standards.
He took it upon himself to share in the burdens of responsibility that his parents and cousins bore demonstrating his willingness to support the family's growing business endeavors.
The educational path laid before him was enriched with subjects deemed fitting for someone of their aristocratic lineage.
Including various academic disciplines that, while seemingly irrelevant to his daily life, such as politics, philosophy, music, art appreciation, dancing, etiquette, finance, foreign languages, golf, horse riding, wine tasting, etc. were often the subjects of conversation during formal high class aristocratic banquets attended or hosted by his parents.
Despite the impracticality of some of the knowledge he acquired, it inadvertently afforded him a particular finesse in online interactions, especially during his free time as a self-proclaimed "keyboard warrior."
This role allowed him to navigate the complexities of digital discourse with a semblance of sophistication, drawing on the social skills he had developed .
Thus, while his education may not have aligned perfectly with his personal interests, it nonetheless equipped him with the ability to engage meaningfully in discussions on the internet.
At the young age of 17, Zhou Mingrui embarked on an academic journey abroad, following in the footsteps of his family members.
This experience proved invaluable in expanding his understanding of the socio-economic situations that divide different classes of people across various cultures.
During his time overseas, in addition to his academic pursuits, Zhou Mingrui immersed himself in social activities, honing his ability to communicate effectively and build relationships.
He also took on the important task of mastering culinary skills.
While studying computer engineering and physics at the university.
During weekends and holidays, he diligently worked as an assistant to his uncle, who worked there, gaining invaluable insights into management and the operational aspects of running a business.
Upon returning to China at the age of 21, Zhou Mingrui stepped into the R&D department of his family’s IT company along with learning about their company from his parents.
However, shortly a year after his parents tragically passed away in an accident.
This event thrust him into a position of responsibility, as he was forced to take the reins of management at the company’s headquarters.
Meanwhile, with his cousins help, they effectively split their family responsibilities.
Zhou Mingrui had to rapidly adapt to his new role.
At the age of 24, however, fate dealt Mingrui another harsh blow. He found himself embroiled in a series of unfortunate events that tested his resilience and fortitude.
Zhou Mingrui tried that luck enhancement ritual he found in the book of arcane arts and divination lying on the book shelf, that afternoon.
Then Zhou Mingrui supposedly woke up as Klein Moretti from the 5th epoch.
The initial shock of this transformation coursed through him, as he contemplated the significance of this identity.
Zhou Mingrui's astonishment deepened when he discovered that Klein bore the name he himself had utilized during his time studying abroad.
Upon closer reflection, while he shared the name and some physical traits with Klein, the new body lacked certain features that had been inherited from Zhou Mingrui's father.
Specifically, he noticed the absence of his deep black hair, his towering height of 185 centimeters, and the array of distinctly masculine facial structures along with his well-built physique.
Instead, Klein Moretti bore a striking resemblance to his mother, encapsulating her features in a masculine form, which Zhou found both intriguing and somewhat disconcerting.
His Gerhman Sparrow disguise was actually how he looked like Zhou Mingrui except with a gentle look and polite personality.
The merging of his consciousness with Klein Moretti's lingering spirit and memories created a unique sensory experience for Zhou Mingrui.
It felt as though he was simultaneously living two distinct lives, each rich with its own perspective and history.
This duality facilitated his adjustment to that new reality, providing him with insights and understanding that might otherwise have troubled him in a completely foreign environment.
Yet, amidst the adjustments and discoveries, a cloud of concern loomed over Zhou Mingrui’s heart.
Maybe that Zhou Mingrui found himself increasingly anxious about the well-being of his family, whom he had left behind in his original timeline. And the well being of the company which provided livelihoods to a half a million people and their family.
Then his life trajectory that followed pushing to prepare him to bear his fate as the Lord of Mysteries.
Zhou Mingrui abruptly ceased the stream of his thoughts as he rose to his feet in shock, a moment of stillness enveloping him in the Sefirah castle.
‘The overall memory of his future self shows that while he himself is acquainted with Amanises because of foreign business dealings and Huang Tao are their family friends and neighbours and also his school classmate. And Grisha is his cousin. When Klein met Grisha, Evernight goddess and Huang Tao, he didn't recognise them as his acquaintance neither did they.
They stayed together in the Sefirah Castle for thousands of years but when they met, they did not remember their past together in the modern era.
Is my past and the future Zhou Mingrui's past different or it may be done by Celestial worthy and Primordial God Almighty so that they are always in a sense of loneliness and easy to lose control or give up and help him in resurrection.
The river of Eternal Darkness and The Nation of Disorder and Sefirah Castle had once been accommodated by Celestial Worthy.
Though Amanises and Huang Tao did not choose the three pathways of mysteries their fate still made them choose the pathways that once belonged to Celestial Worthy, especially Huang Tao, who had chosen the savant pathway then changed to hermit pathway at sequence 1 and then performed the ritual for sequence 0 of Black Emperor pathway after being corrupted by Mother goddess of Depravity.
Remembering Huang Tao’s diary, he suddenly felt that his friend who loved reading novels, comics, watching anime and loved designing and mechanical creations had been spoiled by the Intis culture. Did all the teachings of the past been fed to dogs? He cannot accept his own childhood friend’s debauchery behaviour, cheating and having an affair after marriage.
He really needs to give him a good beating, sure enough sparing the rod, spoils the child. The elders have been too lenient on him before.
He is really confused and sad about his cousin Grisha, who as Adam manipulated many of his life events, along with Amanises her help came with ulterior motives. He had been a tool, a pillar of the universe but not treated as a human being causing him to be so lonely and tired in his memories but in his past he was really loved by his elder cousins as their parents were quite busy. It can be said that he was half raised by his cousins.
Suppressing his queries. Zhou Mingrui added his thoughts that perhaps since fate had chosen him to be The Lord of Mysteries, maybe all his life had been planned to mold him into accepting the role.
Celestial Worthy and Primordial God Almighty might not have randomly chosen people, each of them are somehow related and are exceptional and excellent people. Maybe all of them are raised by fate together to choose the best at the end.
The pillars of the universe are always chosen by fate and under no circumstances somebody else can occupy the seat for long.
…………..
The situation before 'him' appeared remarkably the same as the first time he had set foot in this Sefirah castle retaining familiarity that resonated deeply within 'him' making him nostalgic.
The dim glow of the crimson stars, offered no tangible connection to his fellow members of the tarot club, who would be an integral part of 'his' life.
Klein sensed 'his' spiritual intuition guiding him towards the bluish black Door of Light, the true body of the sefirot belonging to the Lord of the mysteries.
As Klein walked towards the Door of Light, 'he' found all 'his' junk pile (belongings) was missing.
The only remnant of familiarity in this grey fog was the presence of Arrodes, lying motionless on the ground, an image both unsettling and oddly serene.
Klein ascended the staircase leading to the Door of Light, each step heavy with anticipation. Upon reaching the summit, he was taken aback by the revelations unfolding before him, as he understood what 'his' spiritual intuition was guiding him of.
Enshrouded in a misty fog, suspended delicately from the ceiling of the realm surrounding the Door of Light, were numerous transparent cocoons, each one seemingly swaying gently in an unseen breeze.
However in a familiar place there laid the spirit of Roselle Gustav or rather Huang Tao along with Amanises was sealed .
Adjacent to the cocoon sealing Huang Tao was another cocoon, one that was intended to contain Zhou Mingrui, yet curiously, it was the first to sustain a rupture.
"What is going on here? Did my future self not transport his memories to the correct timeline or was it intentional?”Klein suddenly exclaimed, his voice tinged with confusion. The bewilderment in his tone reflected the gravity of the situation.
Klein paused for a moment, his brow furrowed in deep contemplation, before retrieving a gold coin from the historical void.
With deliberate swiftness, he conducted a series of intricate divinations; this facilitated his understanding of the precise era in which he presently found himself.
The results of his divination revealed a stark and tumultuous time: he had landed in the Second Epoch—an ominously referred to period known as the Dark Age, situated chronologically towards the conclusion of the Early Era of Fire. This era was characterized by chaos and absence of the Sun due to the fall of the Primordial God Almighty.
As Klein assimilated this information, he is aware of the existence of eight ancient deities that played significant roles in the fabric of this historical landscape.
Among them were the quasi-human entities: the formidable Giant King Aimur, the regal Elf King Soniathrym, and the revered Sanguine Ancestor Lilith.
In addition to these quasi-humans, the land was inhabited by non-human beings of great significance, including the Dragon of Imagination, Ankewelt, whose imagination became reality; the Phoenix Ancestor Gregace, ruling over Death pathway and had the door authority ; and the Mutated King Kavastir of chained pathway.
Lastly, Klein considered the individual beings whose dominion extended over various existence: the Demonic Wolf, Flegrea, who ruled over the darkness pathway and also had the Fool's Uniqueness , alongside the Devil Monarch Farbauti, who ruled the Abyss pathway.
Determined to gather more clarity regarding his recent experiences, Klein once again engaged in a dream divination, intending to access the deeper recesses of his future self’s memory.
As he delved into this exploration, he was not taken aback to discover that a significant portion of his memories had been sealed away by none other than himself.
His future self had performed a error in time and deceit using his and fate’s authority and subdued the consciousness of Celestial worthy to subdue his awakening and this caused his memories to travel far back in timeline and the error was intentionally caused to wake him up at this time.
The act of sealing these memories was a deliberate exercise of his future self along with few messages from his future self.
" I can distinctly sense the lingering imprint of the celestial worthy’s consciousness which seemed to be intricately woven into a complex tapestry of fates, imbuing the mind with an undeniable tranquility.
The serenity of this celestial imprint resonates deeply within me, making it remarkably easy for me to meld my own identity with its peaceful vibrations."
“This might be the effect of the error caused by his future self to peacefully merge with celestial worthy without him trying to take over my identity”.
"However, I know that achieving true harmony with such a huge source of divinity may require a significant investment of time—potentially two to three millennia—along with substantial sacrifice of my humanity."
" I understand that in order to transcend the weight of the celestial worthy’s extensive history of divine experiences and memories, I must go through this process with the utmost caution.
My primary concern is to maintain a keen sense of self throughout this transformative journey, ensuring that I do not lose my individuality amidst the overwhelming tide of ancient wisdom."
"But currently humanity is on the brink of annihilation and the various supernatural races that inhabit our world may not be able to provide me with the necessary abundance of faith and human sentiment to support my goals effectively."
"It appears that once I stabilize the conditions of this world and reinforce my own foundations, I may have no choice but to travel around the cosmos looking for different galaxies, planets and other life forms and humans out there and make them his anchors.”
Though his true body cannot leave the barrier because he accommodated the sefirah and became one with it, and sefirots cannot escape, the world barrier but his clones can.
This prospect, however, is a course of action that needs to be done once I settle the humans in the southern continent and get rid of the crazy gods.
Then collect the high sequence beyonder characteristics' and the uniqueness of different pathways to prevent birth of gods who will again wage unnecessary wars, because the candidates for great old ones of 7 out of 9 sefirots are already chosen.
"In the meantime, my most pressing obligation is to seek an audience with Goddess Lilith who is said to be from the modern era belonging from a medical family owning pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and research institutes. She seemed to be acquainted with Amanises, if I remember correctly.
Contacting her will undoubtedly provide me with benefits of mother and moon pathway abilities, which is required for future development of humans and other races, relating to medicine and agriculture.
Anyway Lilith cannot become a dual path god nor can she accommodate the brood hive properly.
As long as Mother Goddess of Depravity exists, fate will not allow anyone else to become the ruler of all the feminine forces of the world.
And Mother Goddess of Depravity has indestructible symbolism.
Since she lost a portion of her authority all feminine forces in the universe have undergone some mutation.
Maybe if I can make a contract with her about returning moon and mother uniqueness along with 1 sequence 1 beyonder characteristics of both pathways she will not be anymore eager to corrupt others and also prevent her from helping other great old ones while we hunt them or seal her, it depends on Lilith's decision.
Ancient Sun god- his cousin Grisha seems to have not awakened yet. He might awaken soon and bring in the sun. So maybe I don't have to graft a fake sun for now.”
Zhou Mingrui quickly stabilized his already accommodated door of Light and then proceeded to accommodate 1 Key of Stars beyonder characteristics and the Door Uniqueness and then 1 time of worm beyonder characteristics.
"The error Uniqueness must be in the territory of the Chaos Sea to restrict the convergence of The Lord of Mysteries and the Uniqueness of his pathway."
In a swift motion, he transformed his Fool's Uniqueness into a pair of elegantly designed golden-rimmed glasses.
Simultaneously, he transformed his Door Uniqueness into a sleek silver metallic watch.
He remained attired in the tailored dark blue business suit, which was complemented by a sophisticated vest and a crisp white shirt, reflecting both professionalism and a sense of authority along with the hooded cloak, he stood in grey fog rolling around him .