Chapter 11: The Cruel Autumn
When Akpolis spoke, the dark space gradually took on color and shape.
But unlike previous promotion ceremonies, the "static preview" is not as clear as that given by Elenie and Gawain, and not as bizarre and misleading as Merlin...... It's not like Epsicory, who just danced for everyone and didn't show anything.
The scene shown by Akpolis is very distorted.
The colors seemed to leach out of the void, with a slippery and disgusting touch.
They are so bright that they look like hallucinations caused by eating mushrooms...... Not only does it shrink with the breath in a bizarre magnification, but even the outline of the edge of the object has a heavy overlapping color afterimage. On closer inspection, the surfaces of the objects seem to be constantly changing, as if their form has not yet been fully determined.
Even so, Ivas immediately recognized the scene—
This is the banquet hall of the Temple of Silver and Tin.
When he saw this somewhat familiar and yet unfamiliar scene, Ivus's heart jumped.
There is a long table several times larger than the round table hall, which is 77 meters long and can accommodate 220 guests. In addition to the long table in the center, there are seven small round tables dotted around, which can accommodate more than 300 people.
Only in very special celebrations...... For example, when the monarch is married, or when entertaining important guests from other countries, the banquet hall will be used to hold a state banquet. The banquet hall is usually closed at other times.
Although Ivus often lived in the Temple of Silver and Tin, he didn't run much this way.
He was instantly recognizable because of another thing.
The event, the last and climactic main story of Ouroboros 1.0 in Ouroboros 1.0, pushes everything into a vortex of destruction...... The opening scene of the main quest "Cruel Autumn" is also here.
This quest has a maximum of 29 levels, and the 1.0 version of the quest is capped at 30. Regardless of the fact that Kryptonite and the Great God forcibly completed the promotion ceremony, it can be regarded as level 29 as the full level for ordinary players. This is the first task you take after maxing out the max level.
"In this ceremony, there are a total of four advanced people with multiple paths."
Akpolis said slowly, "I won't say anything the same as before...... Anyone who knows should know it.
"But this ceremony is different from the previous one. For most of you, it's a ritual to decide on an advanced career. But don't be too nervous...... If you don't have a plan about what new class you should advance to, you can keep a chance for the next time.
"I know there are some prophets and witches who choose this because they don't want to be promoted to the rank of Fool or Witch...... Hehe, but in my opinion, the most cautious thing to do is the demon scholars. ”
The old man covered in snake scales bent his waist, holding the snake staff in both hands, and spoke slowly.
His turquoise snake eyes looked like jewels, shimmering with light.
Unlike the hosts of the past - he didn't speak according to the formula at all, but nagged something to himself.
But He does have that privilege...... For Akpolis was the most powerful, the most qualified, and the highest-ranking apostle under the command of the Lord of the Scales.
And......
Evas looked at Him.
Did He guess something, or did he learn some kind of prophecy?
Before the "Ouroboros Ring" ceremony has landed, no one can say that the promotion route of the "Demon Incarnation" is wrong.
- What if it is not Ah Huan who is in power, but Ah Yuan?
If the Fallen Celestial Division becomes the new pillar god, and changes the more changeable authority symbolized by this eighth dream river from the upward "transcendence" to the downward "depravity", then the demon incarnation will become the most correct path to promotion.
Summon demons, control demons, learn about demons, and become demons......
Branded with great sins, he became a demon manipulated by the Fallen Heavenly Division. He was also commanded to snatch the souls of mortals in the material realm with the mission of spreading sin and chaos.
The most important thing is that to become a demon completely means to lose the physical body of a mortal, to give up the ability to enter the dream world by dreaming, and thus to give up the opportunity to get promoted through the promotion ceremony. Undoubtedly, this is exactly the downward "fall".
Constant abandonment, constant depravity, constant defilement.
Isn't this a perfect fit for the "Fall"?
Even if the Celestial Division is on top, as long as the Fallen Heaven Division does not fall, the demon incarnation can never be regarded as the "wrong" path.
Even if the Spell Mage and the Grand Wizard belong to the route of the Pillar God Snake Father, it is not that Tianji cannot create a profession. It's not like the crown lord who took away the position and power of the Supreme Heaven, even if the Huantian Division replaces the snake father's position, it has nothing to do with the Fallen Heaven Division.
It's like the Flame Celestial Division created the "Blacksmith", the Blood Celestial Division created the "Blood Mage", and the Lingpo Celestial Division created the "Preservator". From the time of the birth of such a thing as "profession", there were active Tenji who threw their origins and powers into it.
But listening to Akpolis, he seems to have decided that the Fallen Celestial Division will fall.
And he seems to know that when the Fallen Heaven Division falls, the Ring Heaven Division will take over—and only in this way is the correct route for the third-level demon scholar to "temporarily not advance to the demon incarnation". Otherwise, he should have thought that the profession of "demon scholar" itself was wrong.
…… Is this the prophetic power to adapt to the path?
It can even predict the death of the Celestial Division of other paths......
Ivus was secretly frightened.
He subconsciously looked around covertly and found that "Olive" frowned slightly, and the other thoughtful one was "Advisor". The other six were unaware of the key information leaked in Akpolis' words.
"Humph......"
Noticing the small movements of the three of them, the corners of the old man's mouth rose slightly. As if sneering, as if satisfied, he let out a soft grunt of unknown meaning.
He paused for his staff, and stopped speaking, as if he had been reduced to stone again.
The voice resounded directly in the heads of the promoted-
[The ceremony is limited to six days, and the ratio to reality is 24 to 1]
[You will play a role in the field, complete your own mission, and you will get corresponding points for each corresponding goal you complete]
[Because this ceremony is a full moon ceremony, cooperation is allowed, but no additional cooperation points are calculated]
[When cooperating with the rejection path to complete the other party's task, the other party will be deducted according to the contribution at the settlement to get 50%~100% of the points; Helping the other party without discovering the identity of the opposing path will still deduct points]
[When someone completes the necessary tasks, or when the ritual time ends, the ritual will be settled immediately; The three people with the lowest number of points at the time of settlement will be eliminated]
[In this ritual, all intellectual beings except the participants of the ritual do not possess complete intelligence, but have partial true souls; Therefore, any act of killing, healing, sacrificing, etc., may trigger oaths, taboos, covenants, and curses.
[The difficulty of this ritual is "close to reality", and real death during the ritual may lead to death in reality; Permanent disability during a ritual has the potential to result in a physical disability; True death during a ritual must result in soul damage.]
[All the work of this ceremony, such as dreams, deductions, tasks and role arrangements, bonus and deduction rules, etc., are completed independently by the 'Lord of Scales'; I am fully responsible for the safety and fairness commitment of this promotion ceremony]
Hearing this, Ivus was suddenly stunned.
…… Independently responsible?
The entire promotion ceremony was done by the Lord of the Scales, and the host was also the chief apostle of the Lord of the Scales?
The old man with the snake staff in both hands slowly turned around and glanced at the promoters.
His last gaze rested on Evas's face.
He added, "On a side note, everything you see in this ceremony is fiction. It is better not to think of what you see here as a real history...... Or the future.
"—then, the exam starts now."
He paused for his staff and declared.
A low, slow voice pronounced the words that Ivas was all too familiar with:
"In 1899, the events of the Cruel Autumn announced the destruction of the Kingdom of Avalon......"
(End of chapter)