Chapter 455 Cruel Autumn
After Akpolis spoke, the dark space gradually became full of color and took shape.
But it was different from all the previous promotion ceremonies - this time the "static preview" was not as clear as the ones given by Eirini and Gawain, nor as bizarre and misleading as the one given by Merlin... nor was it like the one given by Terpsichore, who just danced for everyone and then showed nothing.
The scene Akpolis presented was deeply distorted.
The colors seemed to seep out from the void, with a slippery and disgusting texture.
They were so vibrant that they resembled hallucinations induced by eating mushrooms... Not only did they mysteriously expand and contract with breathing, but even the edges of the objects were tinged with overlapping, multicolored afterimages. Upon closer inspection, the surfaces seemed to be constantly shifting, as if their form had yet to be fully determined.
Even so, Aiwass immediately recognized the scene -
This is the banquet hall of the Temple of Silver and Tin.
When Aiwas saw this scene that seemed familiar yet unfamiliar, his heart skipped a beat.
Here, there was a long table several times larger than the Round Table Hall, measuring a full seventy-seven meters in length and capable of seating two hundred and twenty guests. Besides the central long table, there were seven smaller round tables dotted around it, capable of accommodating over three hundred people in total.
The banquet hall is only used for state banquets during very special celebrations, such as the monarch's wedding or to entertain important guests from other countries. The banquet hall is usually not open at other times.
Although Aiwass often lived in the Temple of Silver and Tin, he rarely came here.
He was able to recognize it instantly because of another thing.
The final and climax of the main storyline in version 1.0 of "Ouroboros" is the event that pushes everything into a vortex of destruction... The opening scene of the main quest "Cruel Autumn" also takes place here.
This quest is available at level 29, while the maximum level players can reach in version 1.0 is 30. Excluding those who spend a lot of money and those who forcefully complete the promotion ceremony, level 29 is the maximum level for the average player. This is the first quest you can accept after reaching the maximum level.
"In this ceremony, there are four advanced practitioners with multiple paths."
Akpolis said slowly: “I won’t say the same thing as before… those who know should know it all.
"But this ceremony is a little different from the previous ones. For most of you, this is the ceremony that determines your class advancement. But don't be too nervous... If you haven't decided what new class you want to advance to yet, you can reserve this opportunity and advance next time.
"I know some prophets and witches would choose this because they don't want to be promoted to fools or witches... Hehe, but in my opinion, the ones who should be most cautious are demonologists."
The old man, whose body was covered with snake scales, was hunched over, leaning on his snake staff with both hands, and speaking slowly.
His turquoise snake eyes looked like gemstones, gleaming with light.
Unlike previous hosts, He did not speak according to a formula at all, but instead chattered on to himself.
But He does have such a privilege... because Akpolis is the most powerful, oldest, and highest-ranking apostle under the Lord of Scales and Feathers.
and……
Aiwass looked at Him.
Did He guess something, or learn some kind of prophecy?
Before the "Tail Ring" ceremony is completed, no one can say that the promotion path of the "Devil Incarnate" is wrong.
——What if it’s Aduo instead of Ahuan who gets promoted?
If the Fallen Angels became the new Pillar God and changed the more mutable authority symbolized by the Eighth River of Dreams from upward "transcendence" to downward "depravity," then the Devil Incarnate would become the most correct path to advancement.
Summon demons, control demons, understand demons, and then become a demon...
Bearing the stigma of sin, they become demons controlled by the Fallen Angels. They are also ordered to seize the souls of mortals in the material world, with the mission of spreading sin and chaos.
The most crucial point is that becoming a demon completely means losing one's mortal body, giving up the ability to enter the dream world through dreaming, and thus giving up the opportunity to be promoted through the promotion ceremony. This is undoubtedly a downward "descent".
Continuously abandoning, continuously falling into depravity, continuously becoming defiled.
Doesn’t this fit perfectly with the “fallen” path?
Even if Huan Tiansi takes the throne, as long as the Fallen Tiansi does not fall, the Demon Incarnation can never be considered a "wrong" path.
Even if the Spell Master and the Great Wizard belong to the Pillar God Snake Father's lineage, it's not like the Celestial Official can create a profession. It's not like the Crown Lord took away the position and power of the Supreme Heaven. Even if the Ring Celestial Official replaced the Snake Father, it has nothing to do with the Fallen Angel Official.
Just like how the Flame Celestial Master created the "Blacksmith," the Blood Celestial Master created the "Blood Mage," and the Amber Celestial Master created the "Preservationist," from the moment the concept of "profession" was born, there have been active Celestial Masters pouring their essence and strength into it.
But from what Acropolis said, it seemed that He had already determined that the Fallen Angels would fall.
He seemed to know that once the Fallen Angels fell, the Ringed Angels would take over. Only then would the correct path for a third-level Demonologist be "not advancing to a demonic incarnation for the time being." Otherwise, He would have believed that the very profession of "Demonologist" was flawed.
...Is this the prophetic ability that adapts to the Tao?
He can even predict the death of other celestial beings...
Aiwass was secretly frightened.
He subconsciously glanced around and noticed Olive frowning slightly, and the Advisor looking thoughtful. The other six people were unaware of the crucial information Akpolis had revealed.
"snort……"
Noticing the three people's small movements, the old man's mouth curled up slightly. Like a sneer, like satisfaction, he uttered an ambiguous hum.
He paused with his cane, stopped talking, and seemed to have turned into a stone statue again.
The voice resounded directly in the minds of the promoted people—
[This ceremony is limited to four days, and the ratio to reality is 24 to 1]
You will play a role in the venue and complete your own tasks. You will receive corresponding points for each corresponding goal you complete.
[Because this ceremony is a full moon ceremony, cooperation is allowed, but no additional cooperation points will be calculated.]
When you complete a mission with a Rejection Path, 50% to 100% of the points earned by the other party will be deducted at settlement based on your contribution. Even if you help the other party without discovering their identity, points will still be deducted.
[When someone completes the necessary tasks, or the ceremony time ends, the ceremony will be settled immediately; the three people with the lowest points at the time of settlement will be eliminated.]
[In this ritual, all sentient beings other than those participating in it lack complete intelligence, but possess partial true souls; therefore, any actions such as killing, healing, and sacrifice may trigger oaths, taboos, agreements, and curses.]
[The difficulty of this ritual is "close to reality". Actual death during the ritual may result in real death; permanent disability during the ritual may result in real disability; actual death during the ritual will definitely result in soul damage.]
All aspects of this ceremony, including the dream, deduction, task and role arrangement, and the detailed rules for bonuses and deductions, were independently completed by the 'Lord of Scales and Feathers'. I am fully responsible for the safety and fairness of this promotion ceremony.
Hearing this, Aiwass was suddenly stunned.
...independent responsibility?
The entire promotion ceremony was performed by the Lord of Scales and Feathers, and the host was also the Lord of Scales and Feathers' chief apostle?
The old man, leaning on the snake staff with both hands, slowly turned around and glanced at the promoted people.
And His last gaze rested on Aiwass's face.
He added, "In addition, everything you see during this ceremony is fictional. It is best not to regard everything you see here as real history... or the future."
"—Then the exam begins now."
He paused with his cane and declared this.
A low and slow voice read out the words that Aiwass was very familiar with:
"In 1899, the Cruel Autumn incident declared the destruction of the Kingdom of Avalon..."
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
