leonardwarren Chapter 1345: Traps and Calculations
Chapter 1345: Traps and Calculations
Unlike the previous time he had entered the "Memory Theater" which had required "role-playing" this time Ebner clearly felt that he was still in something akin to a "higher-dimensional" state, as though watching a holographic film, browsing through the life of the special soul within the "Divine Chest" corresponding to the "City of Calamity" — the Elf King Soniathrym.From his emergence out of the western continent, his unknowing ascension to godhood, to his alliance with the Giant King Aurmir and the vampire progenitor Lilith to resist the other ancient gods together... the sweeping and magnificent legend of his life slowly played out before Ebner’s eyes.
During this time, with a single thought, Ebner made a brief attempt and "descended" into the body of this session’s "Memory Theater" protagonist, the Elf King, playing his role just as he had done when he had accidentally entered before.
"Is this... the ’Memory Theater’ being further mastered by me?
"In other words, I can now choose to simply watch the ’storyline’ as an audience member, or to join in as a player...
"And once I join the storyline, any changes made to the ’historical memory’ can overwrite reality in the form of ’information,’ achieving the purpose of ’altering history’ through an unconventional means.
"However, the ’Memory Theater’ is ultimately only a Uniqueness — it is still somewhat of a stretch to alter the information of an ancient god... Ordinary things are fine, but if the changes are too significant, it is beyond what it can accomplish... Or rather, the price would be beyond what I can bear!"
At that thought, since making minor adjustments to the Elf King Soniathrym’s "history" would serve no purpose whatsoever, Ebner conducted a few experiments to determine the maximum extent of alteration possible, and then withdrew back into his "higher-dimensional" state and continued to observe the subsequent story as a spectator.
After Lilith’s fall, the mutual suspicion and standoff between the Elf King and the Giant King;
The relentless wars that erupted after the rise of the "Ancient Sun God";
Before the Elf King’s Court was overrun, his command to the "Queen of Calamity" and the "God of Fortune" to flee with the "Divine Chest" in hopes of future resurrection;
His death at the hands of the "Ancient Sun God," with the Elf King transforming into a soul stone and returning to the "Divine Chest";
The "God of Fortune" opening the "Divine Chest" and placing his soul stone in "the Land of the Unknown" for study;
From the Third Era to the Fifth Era, the soul stone passed through the hands of Rhine, Sauron, and others in succession, ultimately returning to Cohinem, only to be taken away by Roselle shortly after;
Roselle using the Elf King’s "soul stone" to make an exchange with Yaloran;
Deep within the nightmare town, Yaloran handing the Elf King’s soul stone to the visiting Ebner...
The "storyline" came to an abrupt stop at this point, the surrounding scenery fading into a grey expanse, and Ebner found himself once again outside the "screen."
Before he could even collect himself, the "storylines" connected to the "Knowledge Moor" and the "Tenebrous World" played out one after another, forcing Ebner to re-enter the screen and witness them firsthand.
It was not until just before the "play" connected to the "Nation of Disorder’s" special soul was about to begin that Ebner finally achieved a deeper mastery over the "Memory Theater" — this remarkable item concealed deep within "the Land of the Unknown" — and pressed "pause."
"Is this the method for obtaining the locations of the ’special souls’?
"No... This should be a method exclusive to ’me.’ Other existences likely don’t have it this convenient, nor are they able to observe things in such detail!
"Furthermore — is the triggering of the ’Memory Theater’ truly just an ’accident’?
"Ha — once could be an accident, but I have triggered it twice now, both times within this very ritual chamber... It can only be because someone made arrangements for it!
"But who would that be?"
At that thought, Ebner narrowed his eyes, then adjusted the "playlist" of the "screen," temporarily skipping over the "Nation of Disorder" and moving on to the "storyline" of the special soul corresponding to the "Key of Light."
Looking at the tall, handsome man "paused" on the screen, Ebner gave a nod:
"As I thought... The ’God of Fortune’!"
Piecing together Roselle’s adopted son Yaldabaoth’s intense attention toward the Observer’s Castle and the experiment from eleven years ago, along with the little serpent Will’s reminder before departure to "be careful of the ’God of Fortune,’" Ebner had little difficulty guessing that recklessly entering the "God of Fortune’s" memories through the "Memory Theater" at this moment would be extremely dangerous — there was a very real chance of being directly assimilated and replaced by Him!
"Looking at it this way, the arrangement that had me enter the ’Memory Theater’ together with Aglaia last time was likely made by the ’Seal of Calamity’ through Roselle’s hands, with the goal of undermining the ’God of Fortune’s’ plan and putting this latecomer on guard...
"Indeed — Old Huang had a point when he said that the conflict between the ’God of Fortune’ and the ’Seal of Calamity’ — those two versions of ’me’ — would instead become an opportunity for me."
As his thoughts wound down, Ebner decided to skip over the "God of Fortune’s" memories. He already knew where His body and soul stone were — it was just that His situation was special and He could not be touched for the time being.
He reached out and swiped across the screen, returning to the theater of the special soul connected to the "Nation of Disorder" — the "Night Emperor" — and then his form rose upward and he entered into the "storyline."
The major events "Trunsoest" had experienced were not very different from what Ebner had previously "discerned," with only some discrepancies in the details.
However, three particular points did catch his attention.
First, the "Prince of Abolition" who had ambushed the "Demoness of Apocalypse" Aglaia Constantine together with Cheek was not the "Night Emperor" — He had obtained Aglaia’s soul from Cheek’s hands, and only then conducted the transaction with Mr. "Door" to complete that collaboration.
Second, the "Night Emperor’s" betrayal of the "Blood Moon Queen" Auernia did not appear to have been for His own sake, but rather to exchange for an Outer Deity’s intervention to help Cheek perform her ascension to godhood ritual...
Third, and most importantly — after the "Night Emperor’s" death, the soul stone He had become had been hidden all along within the "Book of Virtues" used to bestow knighthood, kept in safekeeping by the Priestley family who had remained loyal to Him, until the generation of Daphne Priestley, when it fell into Ebner’s hands.
Returning to outside the "theater" screen, Ebner pinched his chin and pondered inwardly:
That’s quite a lot of information... By the conventions of romance novels, this "Night Emperor" business would count as "discarding the wife to favor the concubine," wouldn’t it? Hmm — His state at the time was very poor as well, and it’s not out of the question that He was instigated by the "Primordial Demoness"...
Of course, judging from the "storyline" just now, it is more likely that He truly placed enormous importance on Cheek, and that in His heart, Cheek’s status was higher than the "Blood Moon Queen’s."
In that case, were they the true love pair? So after the "Night Emperor" died, Cheek joined forces with the maddened "Death God" to unleash the "Pale Calamity" and seek revenge against the Seven Gods?
This storyline feels rather familiar — it seems Teles in the original story followed the same pattern... The so-called "Demoness dying for love" — is that a "tradition" that started with Cheek? No wonder Teles’s advancement speed was hardly slower than Mr. "Fool’s"!
After muttering to himself with a strange expression for a moment, Ebner shifted his focus back to the final whereabouts of the "Night Emperor’s" soul stone:
The "Book of Virtues," was it? I see... No wonder the "Ghost Empire" needed the "Book of Virtues" as a credential to reach its destination and enter that "leakage point" of the "Nation of Disorder’s" power...
It seems the book itself is not the key point — the key point is the "Night Emperor" inside the book!
That makes sense too — that leakage point is within the "Night Emperor’s" divine kingdom, so naturally "He Himself" would be needed to gain passage.
And once the soul stone encounters the corresponding Sefirot, while situated within His own divine kingdom, with an "old flame" acting as a guardian — the conditions for the "Night Emperor’s" resurrection should all be fulfilled...
What a fine piece of calculation!
What a shame that I was rather timid back then and didn’t dare enter His divine kingdom...
(End of Chapter)