Translator: AtlasStudios Editor: AtlasStudios
In a Tingen suburb, there was a house with a green lawn.
The house had a garden that had begun to wither at the beginning of September. Attached to the house was a crimson chimney.
There was a desk next to the window in the bedroom of that house. An ordinary notebook was spread open on the table.
A slightly pale hand flipped the notebook to the very first page, then it quickly flipped to the back.
As the paper flipped, the rows of words appeared faintly.
Regence, a member from the Secret Order, sold the Antigonus familys notebook as an ordinary ancient book by accident due to the influence both of weariness and illusions. It was a coincidence that made logical sense.
Affected by the calling of the Antigonus familys bloodline, the notebook secretly affects its owners, one after the other. After repeated changes in ownership, it came to Tingen. It fell into the hands of the members of the Aurora OrderSirius Arapis and Hanass Vincent.
After they flipped through the content that temporarily appeared in the notebook and copied the corresponding potion formulas, Sirius and Hanass were worried that the Secret Order, who were good at divination, would track them down. After discussing it, they decided to avoid the risk by selling it to another person.
They didnt wait for Mr. Zs reply; perhaps because he stayed at Enmat Harbor.
Through Siriuss introduction, Hanass got to know Welch McGovern from the Khoy Universitys Department of History. Then, Hanass sold the Antigonus familys notebook to McGovern as an ordinary ancient book.
Subsequently, Sirius was attracted by the treasure that was said to exist on the main peak of the Hornacis mountain range. He started to visit the Deweyville Library and research the mountain. He didnt think that there would be any problems, so he left his real address and name. That aligned with his personality.
During this process, he acquainted himself with Lanevus, who was reading up on information about iron mines to set up a scam.
Lanevuss hidden lunacy and swindling ability were well appreciated by Sirius. He decided to nurture him into a member of the Aurora Order. Of course, before that, an investigation was inevitable.
Sirius covertly informed Lanevus about the evil ritual of praying to the True Creator to deliver His spawn into this world. But he knew that the possibility of Lanevus succeeding was very low, because the difficulty level of the ritual was very high, and the requirements were very harsh. However, the latter expressed his strong interest in the matter, tempted by the possibility of obtaining a deitys approval. He planned to complete the ritual simultaneously as he carried out the plans of establishing his steelworks company.
The cunning Lanevus could tell that there was something fishy about Sirius Arapis. But for his personal goal, he didnt expose him.
He visited Hood Eugen in the asylum once again. They had known each other long ago, and they knew about their respective situations.
After a dark divination, the Antigonus familys notebook was awakened fully. Welch and his classmate died. The lucky survivor, Klein Moretti, sent it to Ray Biebers house under the influence of the notebook. It was a destined ending.
Many rows were scribbled off and new content followed.
For some baffling reason, and a lack of sufficient explanations, Klein didnt commit suicide after that and somehow managed to stay alive.
In the Nighthawks investigation of Welchs case that followed, he met Dunn Smith and joined the Nighthawks.
Although it had already exceeded Ince Zangwills description, it didnt affect the development of the story.
Bacchus and his brothers were down on their luck. They lost their last chip at the gambling tables and were drowning in debt. In a bid to obtain money, they decided to kidnap and blackmail the somewhat wealthy individuals.
When they were looking for their final hideout, they chanced upon the room opposite Ray Biebers apartment.
By then, Ray Bieber was already seduced by the power offered by the Antigonus familys notebook. He hoped to digest the gift left behind by his ancestors.
However, he was in a semi-insane state, and he couldnt make the best and safest choice. He abandoned his dead mother, but he continued remaining in Tingen City. He only found a more elusive spot to carry out his digestion ritual. It was truly pathetic. If he had been slightly smarter, the story couldve become even more complicated, but his decision was made based on his instincts and his poor state of mind.
Bacchus and company purchased weapons and took the youngest son, Elliott, of the tobacco merchant, Vickroy, and held him for ransom.
Finally, they successfully carried out the abduction and took Elliot back to the apartment opposite Ray Biebers. Vickroys butler was entrusted with looking for help from a security company.
Because of Welchs mysterious death, security companies were short on hands. Klee chanced upon a deliveryman and happened to discover the existence of the Blackthorn Security Company.
Leonard Mitchell and Klein accepted the job. Relying on their Beyonder powers, they quickly saved the merchants son. Regrettably, Klein didnt immediately realize that clues to the Antigonus familys notebook were in the apartment opposite them.
However, his spirituality reminded him in his dream. As such, the Tingen Nighthawks discovered corresponding clues.
Sealed Artifact 2-049 arrived in Tingen. With the aid of the Antigonus familys puppet, Dunn Smith led the Nighthawks to find Ray Bieber before interrupting his digestion procedure.
Ray Bieber became a monster, and the situation was out of control.
In the end, the Nighthawks skillfully worked together and took care of Monster Bieber, but they immediately faced the attack of a member from the Secret Order.
More rows were scribbled away again, and the original content was impossible to read.
Leonard Mitchell, who possesses a secret, was going to end the situation. Before he could, Klein, who was supposed to be doomed, killed the Sequence 7 member from the Secret Order in an inexplicable manner.
That didnt affect the development of the story. Dunn Smith got in touch with the Antigonus familys notebook and flipped through its content. From that point onwards, he was secretly tainted!
Having finished with all his preparations, Lanevus beguiled Hood Eugen and used him to assist in his ritual. They tricked Lanevuss fiancee, Megose, to become the vessel that would carry the True Creators spawn.
Lanevus had almost no possibility of success. The most serious problem was that even though Megose would be protected by the rituals power, she wouldnt be able to withstand the sexual intercourse with the illusory projection of a deity. It would cost her her life on the altar.
At that moment, the kind Ince Zangwill helped Lanevus in secret. He split off half a piece of a descendant of Deaths characteristic that he obtained and planted it into Megoses body ahead of time.
Hood Eugen made Megose enter a semi-unconscious state and convinced her that the True Creators illusory projection was Lanevus. Nourished by the accumulated resentment, gloominess, and oppression of the factory district, the ritual succeeded. Megose was pregnant with the True Creators spawn. The deity saw through the coincidences, but since He wished to break through the shackles placed on him by the seven deities, He didnt refuse.
Hood Eugen was contaminated.
After the ritual succeeded, the mad Lanevus regained his rationality. He clearly knew that if the deitys spawn was to descend into the world, Lanevus, himself, would become one of the sacrificial offerings. How could a mortal be the father of a deitys son? This was blasphemy of the highest order!
Lanevus decided to leave Tingen ahead of time and left clues to the Nighthawks, the Mandated Punishers, and the Machinery Hivemind so that they could resolve the repercussions of his actions. There was ultimately a price needed for lunacy.
However, Lanevus didnt write the letter directly to the Beyonder squads. He thought it would make him look stupid.
He decided to leave the letter in one of the houses that he rented. He pretended to be playing a game with the Beyonders from official bodies. As such, he didnt bring up Hood Eugens contamination and brought with him everything that he had obtained.
Just in case, he informed Sirius Arapis in the safest way he could. The latter didnt quite believe him, but he could faintly feel the possibility of success.
Selena Wood accidentally chanced upon the real magic mirror divination incantation from her mysticism teacher, Hanass Vincent.
Her bold attempt was interrupted by Klein Moretti by coincidence. The latter successfully resolved this supernatural incident that mightve caused serious casualties.
The Nighthawks then investigated Hanass Vincent who had recently been awarded. Therefore, Dunn Smith coincidently saw a clear image of the True Creator in his dream and suffered severe injuries.
However, he wasnt contaminated because of what happened. That wouldve been noticed by the upper echelons of the Nighthawks.
The injury made Dunn Smiths contamination by the Antigonus family notebook worsen. His absent-mindedness and forgetfulness worsened, and he was getting closer and closer to satisfying Ince Zangwills requirements.
Many rows were scribbled away again.
Seriously unbelievable! Klein Moretti noticed Ince Zangwills secret influence and saw the crimson chimney.
Th-this is because he was reminded by the teacher from the Khoy Universitys Department of History, Azik. He possesses many secrets.
But even so, its astounding enough for Klein to discover actual clues. Its unexplainable.
Regardless of the reason, Ince Zangwill continued to act, and the story continues.
Klein coincidently ran into Sirius at the library and had no choice but to kill him. Hence, the clues leading to Lanevus were abruptly severed, and the discovery of the problem was delayed.
Klein met Megose, but his spirituality stopped him from observing her closely. However, he didnt notice the subtle abnormality. That is logical. Our stories arent made up randomly.
He searched for the red chimney, but he always opted for a route that didnt include his target. Maybe in another two or three months, when he was on the last batch, he would find the real red chimney house.
Rows and rows of writings were scribbled away, more than all of the previous rows added together.
Dunn Smiths problem was alleviated! His condition obviously became better! He actually mastered the acting method!
And this was taught to him by Klein Moretti, who found inspiration from Daly Simone and Old Neils example. NoInce Zangwill didnt believe that, but he could only change his original plans slightly.
New elements in the story came to play.
Azik decided to go to Backlund in search of his lost memories.
It wasnt long until Klein and Dunn found clues from Hood Eugen.
In order to ensure that Tingen Citys Conservative Party and New Party would be in complete opposition, Madam Sharon, who wanted to vent the accumulated madness after her transformation, decided to take the risk and murder Member of Parliament John Maynard.
Her motive wasnt strong enough, but she took action anyway. There are always times when people are not clear-minded enough, and she happened to be in that stage. Besides, she was confident that she wouldnt be discovered.
Maynards wife found the Blackthorn Security Company through the tobacco merchant, Vickroy. They didnt disappoint her, and they quickly found Madam Sharons abnormality.
Dunn Smith, who possessed power that was close to Sequence 6, decided to take action first. He passed the Sealed Artifact 3-0271 to Kenley.
When the two of them and Klein returned to Madam Sharons residence, Dunn attempted to pull her into a dream to control her from a distance.
It was a good plan, but, unfortunately, Madam Sharon happened to have the statue of the Primordial Demoness by her side.
Hence, the Nighthawks plan failed. Kenley reflected himself in the mirror due to his nervousness and saw himself.
Madam Sharon was taken care of while Kenley died. Dunn blamed himself and consumed Kenleys Beyonder characteristic as he usually did. His digestion procedure was interrupted as a result and was delayed. As such, his mental state became unstable.
Under the circumstances, Leonard and Klein noticed the letter left behind by Lanevus.
Megose received a baffling summoning and arrived at Zouteland Street. She entered the Blackthorn Security Company, and the baby in her stomach was at a critical point in its development. It couldnt stop her urges.
Dunn made a detailed plan, a plan that was right, but he made one mistake. If he steeled his resolve to Megose behind Chanis Gate, he wouldve stood a chance with the aid of the environment and the items present. If he wanted to wait for backup, he definitely shouldnt have just taken Saint Selenas urn out.
Unfortunately, Dunns mind wasnt in the right place due to recent events, and he didnt think of the most critical point. A dietys son would be able to feel the threat of the Saints urn. Hence, it was triggered and started to absorb its mothers strength in a bid to be born ahead of time, even though it wasnt exactly ready.
Azik was in Backlund, but he wasnt a Traveler, so he couldnt rush back in such short notice.
A few rows were scribbled away.
Megose became a monster, and the fight began. With the aid of the Saints urn, Blood Vessel Thief, and two high-level charms that strangely appeared, Megose died and the deitys son was exorcized. Dunn Smith died as a result, and the power of Saint Selenas ashes was severely damaged as well. That went perfectly with Ince Zangwills intentions.
Ince Zangwill didnt get a chance to showcase himself, but it didnt hinder him from achieving his goal.
He killed Klein Moretti, the fellow who kept disrupting his plans, and he took away Saint Selenas ashes.
Ince Zangwill set up a ritual with the remaining half of the characteristic of Deaths descendant. He consumed Saint Selenas ashes and successfully advanced from Sequence 5 of the Death Sequence pathway, Gatekeeper, to Sequence 4 of the Evernight Sequence pathway, Nightwatcher. As such, he received godhood characteristics and became a Demigod.
The sun continues to shine brilliantly on the land. Nearly no one in Tingen City realized how they narrowly escaped a huge disaster. Monster Ademisaul would be left very confused about it.
The notebook was flipped to the last page. A middle-aged man that was holding onto the book had dark blond hair, a dark blue eye that was nearly black, a tall nose, and tightly pursed lips. His facial features were like that of a statue and didnt have a single wrinkle. He held a classic quill with his slightly pale hand and wrote a line clearly without dipping into any ink.
He ended with a simple sentence.
Tingens story ends here.
The papers rustled as he closed the book, leaving only a brown cover.