Lord of Mysteries 2: Circle of Inevitability

Observing Louis Berry's peculiar sacrificial dance drawing to a close, Robert wasted no time. He hastily poured some Full Moon Essence Oil into his palm, utilizing his abilities to fuse it with his spirituality and rapidly dissipate it.

Camus, Amandina, and the others immediately caught a refreshing, psychedelic fragrance. They felt their spirits were drunk, about to float out of their bodies.

Robert's voice echoed softly, distantly in their ears, causing their thoughts to drift farther and farther away. Fortunately, they weren't channeling targets, so they managed relative control.

The black-robed figure gradually left the glass window, approaching Robert.

Suddenly, the shadow vanished. Robert lowered his head, then slowly looked up, his face tainted by the night sky yet with an obvious sinister aura. His eyes were dark.

Observing this, Lumian ended the Summoning Dance, positioning himself three meters from Robert.

Although he'd intended for Robert to channel the spirit directly while he provided questions, the peculiar shadow had instead attached itself to Robert.

This too was a form of spirit channeling—many Spirit Mediums allowed a target's spirit to communicate through their mouth, answering certain people's questions.

Gazing at the sinister-looking Robert, Lumian pondered briefly, then said, "Do you know what happened to the people who lived here six years ago?"

He planned to start simple, least likely to cause anomalies, constantly adjusting direction, tone, and terminology based on the actual situation.

Robert opened his mouth, letting out a shrill voice unlike his own.

"Affected, performed a ritual, all perished."

This answer puzzled the others, including Camus, unsure if significant information was hidden.

Apart from Lugano, everyone guessed Louis asked about the fire engulfing the Twanaku family, with the spirit's answer implying a cult or evil gods' influence.

As a Conspirer, relevant information instantly surfaced in Lumian's mind.

The suppressed emotions and desires of everyone in Tizamo would be absorbed by the dream, gradually accumulating to form corresponding dream projections.

Like the gravekeepers, these projections would hide in the dream's chaotic zone, guarding the black ancient tomb.

In previous explorations, I saw the black-robed gravekeeper and projections surrounding the ancient tomb in dream fragments. One projection was the remaining figure of "Hisoka" Twanaku.

"Hisoka" Twanaku returned to Tizamo two or three times yearly for about a week.

After leaving, his corresponding projection would gradually fade until vanishing.

"Hisoka" Twanaku had become a Devil pathway Beyonder after the fire incident.

The Nois family's Demon…

This information appeared simultaneously in Lumian's mind, like disconnected nodes in a spider's web.

Soon, Lumian made a guess.

"Hisoka" Twanaku returned to Tizamo once or twice outside the Dream Festival, each visit lasting a week or more? Was this to ensure his dream projection didn't completely disappear, allowing the dream to absorb some of his malice?"

Do the projections and gravekeepers stay around the ancient tomb because it has something special that unknowingly affects them, like the tomb or the cold corpse inside?

If sacrificial rituals were part of the tomb's defense, when the Dream Festival commences and the projections return to their bodies, would some deeply affected humans attempt to imitate the gravekeeper's actions and perform a ritual? If they failed, would their entire family perish, corrupting the house and forming a subtle connection to the black ancient tomb?

Yes, that's a possibility, but I can't fit the Nois family's Demon or Hisoka becoming a Devil pathway Beyonder into this web of information…

What would happen if I inserted that?

Lumian's heart stirred as he considered another possibility.

It wasn't just the black ancient tomb or its cold corpse affecting the Twanaku family. The Nois family's Demon was also affected!

Perhaps the Demon had been coveting the corpse or the source of abnormality. For this reason, it secretly influenced the Twanaku family, giving them knowledge. Once the Dream Festival began, through its influence in the real world, it magnified their corresponding desires in the dream. Coupled with the loss of self-control and wild indulgence brought by the Dream Festival, the Twanaku family took the initiative to attempt the sacrificial process from the ritual or dream projection given by the Demon, leading to subsequent abnormalities?

Had the Demon discovered Hisoka's uniqueness and lured him to the Devil pathway?

Yes, this explains why only the Twanaku family did such a thing when everyone has a dream projection and why is this house unique enough to allow lucid dreaming…

The next crucial task is guarding against the Demon. It probably can't participate personally, but its minions would definitely appear…

As these thoughts raced, Lumian gained a deeper understanding of the situation.

He looked at the shadow possessing Robert and changed his question.

"Where are the gravekeepers? Where have they gone?"

Robert's shadowed face replied shrilly, "Dream Festival begins, the tomb opens. Need to hide."

Need to hide? After commencement, does the tomb become abnormally dangerous or pose a hidden danger to the gravekeepers? Lumian glanced at Amandina. This lady, Robert, and Padre Cali arrived at the black ancient tomb during the Dream Festival, easily obtaining powers through contact.

Where is this hidden danger? How is it dangerous? And where are the gravekeepers?

Something must be amiss.

Amandina felt inexplicable fear under Louis Berry's gaze. Her voice trembled as she asked, "Is there a problem with this answer?"

Lumian chuckled. "The gravekeepers need to hide. Why didn't you two?"

Before Amandina could delve deeper, she saw Robert's cold, dark face contort in agony.

Seeing this, Lumian sighed, "End the spirit channeling."

If it continued, something would happen to Robert.

Robert retained complete autonomy and a certain mobility level. He immediately uttered two words in ancient Hermes to make the spirit leave his body.

The shadow attached to him remained unresponsive, and the agony on his face intensified.

Slowly, Robert drew a dagger and stabbed his finger.

Drops of bright red blood, mixed with his Spirit Medium spirituality, sprayed towards the window like bead chains.

While doing so, Robert bellowed in ancient Hermes, "Leave!"

The black-robed shadow detached from Robert's body, chasing after the blood and vanishing from the glass window.

Witnessing this, Lumian retracted his consciousness from his right hand, no longer preparing any "snorting."

He breathed a relieved sigh and said to Camus, Amandina, and the others, "Wait for me on the second floor."

"What now…" Amandina muttered, turning to head downstairs.

In just over ten seconds, silence returned to the third floor.

Lumian retrieved ingredients from his Traveler's Bag and set up a ritual, attempting to summon Madam Magician's messenger.

Unfortunately, being a dream prevented success.

Having anticipated this, Lumian wasn't overly disappointed. Though the early Dream Festival arrival prevented reporting the latest situation to Madam Magician, adding significant risks, such problems were bound to arise. He was mentally prepared.

Though Hunters liked to plan ahead, they weren't afraid of battle.

Lumian was even a little excited, not just from the Dream Festival's faint influence.

After stowing his belongings, Lumian descended to the second floor and said directly to Robert and Amandina, "Which one of you will take me to the black boulder?"

He had analyzed their situations, realizing that Amandina, Robert, and Padre Cali had easily arrived at the black ancient tomb and obtained powers, all led by those who had touched it.

Of course, they shared more than one thing in common.

Robert fell silent, wanting to say "Didn't you promise to let me go after helping?" but not daring.

Amandina glanced at the silent Robert, pursed her lips and said to Lumian, "Me!"

Then, she added, "I want to see if I can obtain more superpowers."

Lumian nodded and told Robert, "You may leave."

Robert glanced at Lumian, then Amandina. Without a word, he walked out of Twanaku's house.

"Gosh, he might think I brought you to the cathedral to deal with Padre Cali and embarrass him. Gosh, I was the one who brought you there," Amandina exclaimed after Robert left.

Rhea, who had already picked up most arrows, earnestly consoled her, "But you purified the cathedral for God. Praise the Sun!"

Amandina spread her arms as well. "Praise the Sun!"

After their exchange, Lumian said to Camus and Rhea, "Next, I'm going to the black ancient tomb. It's up to you to decide if you want to go."

"I…"Lugano tried to speak, but Lumian interrupted with a smile. "You must go."

Lugano shut his mouth.

Camus and Rhea exchanged glances and spoke in unison, "I'm coming too."

Lumian didn't persuade them, simply nodding. "Then let's set off now."