Mystery: When the Fool Meets the Masked Fool

Chapter 440 Substitution
The exploration team's exploration of the Giants' Royal Court went relatively smoothly, as they had a map of the Giants' Royal Court.

Although this is a map from the time when the Giants' Kingdom was still in the Second Age, it is somewhat interconnected, which can help them easily bypass traps and find shortcuts.

This map is based on the giant Grosser who recently visited Silver City.

Torn by inner conflict, he did not join the exploration of Silver City with his team.

In his view, there was nothing wrong with the purpose and methods by which the people of Silver City sought a way out. But he was, after all, a giant, and the Giants' Court was, after all, his home.

He couldn't possibly lead the Silver City exploration team to explore his former home.

So he provided a map, the sole purpose of which was to minimize their injuries and prevent potential deaths during their exploration.

He offered no further assistance beyond that.

Even so, it plunged him into a dilemma and torment, unsure how to face his fellow giants who had already died.

He was so distressed that his appetite decreased, and he could only eat a dozen or so buckets of rice per meal.

Meanwhile, at sea.

Following Otto, Rhys entered the lower deck of the "Kalen Fantasy," Otto's research lab.

The room had a peculiar layout, with the walls covered in all sorts of symbols. From emblems of orthodox churches like the Black Night and Sun emblems to symbols of cults like crosses and witch cults, there was something for everyone.

Noticing Rhys's slightly puzzled look, Otto chuckled and explained, "As pirates, we naturally offend many people at sea."

"That way, if someone comes to retaliate, we can first investigate the other side's beliefs, then cover up the other symbols and pretend that everyone is on our side. Sometimes this can indeed avoid fighting and killing, and paying a little money is usually enough."

Rhys nodded noncommittally: "Are you very rich?"

“We are pirates after all,” Otto said with a warm smile.

As they walked and talked, the two soon arrived at a display case that was over a meter tall.

“Look, this is what I call my proudest research result,” Otto said with considerable pride.

As he spoke, he clicked a switch next to the display case, and the case slowly opened, revealing the items stored inside.

It was a golden cross, adorned with some gems whose purpose was unknown.

"What's it used for... Oh." Rhys was about to ask a question when he suddenly realized and exclaimed "Oh!"

He felt that his spirituality was blocked and unusable.

However, only his spirituality was blocked; it did not affect his divinity.

“It is indeed a remarkable item.” Rhys gave it a high evaluation. “Those below the level of demigod will basically lose all combat power, while demigods will be affected to some extent.”

"Can it target only selected individuals, or must it have a wide-ranging impact?" Rhys turned his gaze from the golden cross to Otto.

“Of course,” Otto smiled and nodded. “Not only that, but when it’s at full power, it can also influence divinity. Would you like to try it out?”

Rhys frowned, feeling as if his mind was shrouded in an imperceptible fog, and that he seemed to have overlooked many things.

But soon he realized that experiencing it firsthand would indeed allow him to better understand the performance of these tools.

His brows relaxed again, and he nodded.

"Yes, what can I do?"

“Like this, put your hand on the cross.” Otto demonstrated by placing his right hand on one side of the golden cross.

A golden bracelet can be seen extending from the cross and wrapping around Otto's right hand.

In Rhys's perception, Otto's aura weakened instantly, as if he had changed from Sequence Four to Sequence Five, from an "opponent who would be troublesome in a real fight" to an "insect that could be easily crushed by him".

After hesitating for a moment, he stretched out his left hand and placed it on the other side of the cross.

In the next instant, he felt his spirituality completely constrained, and his divinity seemed to be restricted as well, no longer functioning as smoothly.

“Indeed, it is a remarkable item.” He nodded. As his divinity was suppressed, the fog in his mind grew thicker and thicker.

He began to feel a delay in his perception of the outside world, but it took him almost a second just to understand what was happening to him.

It took him another two or three seconds to think about this.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something.

puff!

A sharp blade emerged from his mouth.

The sword pierced through the back of his head and emerged from his mouth.

Only at this moment did the fog in his mind dissipate, and his long-suppressed intuition finally erupt.

Deceiving your supervisor!

Rhys immediately understood the situation.

The man before me was not a sorcerer, but a deceitful mentor, a Sequence Three!

Deceiving the mentor is Sequence 3 of the Thief's Path, an adjacent path to the Diviner's Path, and an interchangeable path.

His eyes were filled with disbelief.

How can it be?

This person was promoted to a Trickster just two weeks ago.

How could he possibly digest the Sequence 4 potion in just two weeks and then complete the Sequence 3 advancement ritual of the adjacent pathway?

In the blink of an eye, Rhys's muscles suddenly tensed, as he was about to enter his mythical creature form and escape his current predicament.

A mercury-like sheen flowed across his body, seemingly forming a suit of armor.

Although the attack that pierced his head was indeed a serious injury to him, he was a demigod, and such damage was not enough to render him unable to fight.

But Otto made no attempt to stop him; he simply removed his hand from the cross and watched with a smile.

Just as Rhys's flowing mercury armor was about to take shape, the sword that had pierced his head was suddenly pulled away, and his armor shattered, scattering across the ground.

He himself seemed to have suddenly lost all his strength, his legs went weak, and he knelt down on the ground.

He was weak and powerless, his mind was falling apart, and his eyes were bloodshot and covered with red veins.

He then noticed that his body was covered in red threads, and that parts of his skin had been siliconeized.

"How...how did you do that?" He stiffly raised his head and looked at Otto.

"Promotion? You know I don't have time to wait 300 years. So, I'll just have to jump to an adjacent path."

Otto knew exactly what the other person was asking, but he didn't say anything.

What if this attack fails to kill him?
"Cough cough." Rhys coughed weakly twice.

More and more red lines appeared on his body, and his flesh began to transform, tear, and decompose.

He forced himself to turn his head and look behind him with all his might, trying to see who had attacked him.

His gaze traveled upwards, taking in a pair of Fussack military trousers and a Fussack general's dress uniform. He noticed the man behind him had a face, neck, and hands covered in silver armor plates, giving him a chilling aura.

That's him!

One Reese Lopez!

(End of this chapter)