As soon as The Fool's words fell, the reactions among those present varied.
Some of them had encountered this term before, while others were hearing it for the first time.
But even those hearing it for the first time could easily grasp what it meant just from the words themselves.
Was there something above Sequence 1, above Sequence 0?
The Magician, Fors, felt a great wave surge inside her.
In the occult knowledge she possessed, the highest a Pathway could reach was Sequence 1, an Angel. If there was something even higher than an Angel, then that could only be a true god!
So it turned out a true god could also be attained through ascension from a mortal...
The Hanged Man, Alger, watched intently, his eyes burning with feverish ambition.
While the others reacted with shock or wild elation, something stirred in Silas's mind. He suddenly thought of his flagship, the Black King, and of Antia Trois, and recalled something she had once said to him: "I suspect Roselle and I are on the same Pathway, and that his Sequence is higher than mine..."
The same Pathway, a Sequence higher than hers, and according to what The Fool had implied, Roselle was attempting to ascend to Sequence 0.
Could it be that the Pathway he was trying to leap onto was the Lawyer, and that he had very likely truly become the Sequence 0 Black Emperor?
And speaking of the "Black Emperor," Silas couldn't help thinking of someone else.
George III!
Klein had shared the relevant information with Silas before: that wretched emperor was currently excavating the legacy of the "Blood Emperor," and it seemed he too intended to ascend to become the Black Emperor.
At this thought, Silas couldn't help but lift his head and look toward the far end of the long table. There, The World, Klein, raised his head as well, and the two of them locked eyes for a second.
We'll discuss it later, when we hold our private meeting.
Silas thought to himself.
Temperance and The World are exchanging glances again. Do they know something...
Audrey caught this exchange keenly.
Just then, she heard The Fool speak again from the head of the table.
"Go ahead and begin."
That mysterious being leaned back against his chair, glanced around the table, and said nothing further. Perhaps he felt that the diary provided by the "Mysterious Queen" was already worth this much in return.
The gathering had officially moved into the trading segment.
The World was the first to speak.
Klein put on a somber expression, looking first at The Sun, then at The Hanged Man, and said in a hoarse voice, "The Notary's potion formula, and the Ocean Songster's potion formula along with its primary ingredient. I can provide both now."
The Notary's formula came from a lamb he had herded within the Creeping Hunger, while the Ocean Songster's formula and primary ingredient came from one of his adventures.
After hunting down the Admiral of Blood, a new entry had appeared under the Creeping Hunger's ledger, and in keeping with their agreement, he had released the soul of an innocent.
As for that adventure, it had been rather fantastical.
In order to rescue the missing Vice Admiral Iceberg, he had entered the world within a book, joined forces with several other Beyonders from various eras who had likewise stumbled into the book, defeated the book's final enemy, and successfully escaped.
However, his companions had already exhausted their lifespans, and the moment they left the book they had died on the spot, leaving only their characteristics behind.
The characteristic he intended to sell to The Hanged Man had come from that elven archer.
Hearing this good news, The Sun and The Hanged Man were naturally pleased, though their reactions differed.
"Thank you, Mister World. I'll note this debt down and settle it with you later!"
Derrick, The Sun, said sincerely.
The Hanged Man, on the other hand, seemed to be somewhat short on funds himself. Rather than paying directly, he asked for a private conversation and offered, as payment, a pristine island rich with treasure.
According to him, the island was not only home to numerous rare Beyonder creatures but also concealed an ancient ruin within it.
Qilangos had very likely gained much of his fortune from that very place, which was how he had risen to become a Pirate General.
Klein raised no objection and agreed to both of their terms.
After this, The Hermit, Cattelya, spoke up as well.
She had already located the spinal fluid of the Black Hunter Lizard that Justice, Audrey, had wanted to buy, as well as the meteorite crystal that The Magician needed.
Sixty grams, six hundred pounds... how expensive!
The Magician, Fors, felt both delighted and troubled.
The reason for her delight needed no explanation, while her trouble stemmed from the fact that she was short on money.
Buying Beyonder materials one after another had further worsened her already shaky finances, and with this month's writing fee still not having come in, she had truly been strapped for cash lately.
As for a way to make money...
Fors immediately looked toward the figure in red seated across from her.
"Mister Temperance."
She said, "I've found traces of Mr. X."
That fierce gentleman had said before that, so long as it concerned a hunting target of the Aurora Order, he would not only refrain from asking her for a hitman's fee, but would even pay her for it. With that money, she'd be able to cover the bill for her Beyonder materials.
"Oh? Now that really is good news."
Temperance, Silas, nodded slightly upon hearing this and said, "Then hurry up and tell me."
Fors quickly made a request to The Fool, and a sheet of parchment materialized before her, on which she wrote down the method for attending Mr. X's gathering.
She also attached some additional notes concerning Mr. X. For instance, he was suspected to be a mid Sequence Beyonder on the Apprentice Pathway, and possessed the ability of "Travel."
In addition, according to a companion of hers who had attended the gathering, Mr. X had seemed restless and on edge during the event, as though he were guarding against something.
When Silas read this information, his brow couldn't help but furrow slightly.
That Mr. X possessed the ability to "Travel" didn't surprise him much, but that last part of the description...
"He was guarding against something. Are you certain?"
Silas asked.
"Um, that's what I heard from the friend who attended the gathering. I haven't confirmed it myself."
Fors answered. She herself was a Beyonder of the Apprentice Pathway, and if she attended the gathering in person, there was a good chance that Mr. X, being on the same Pathway, would notice something about her, so she hadn't dared go directly.
"That friend of mine is usually a bit scatterbrained, but she can be relied on when it matters, and her Pathway makes her very sensitive to other people's expressions and movements..."
Ah, so it was Xio. Though she wasn't very tall, she was dependable enough.
Silas nodded silently.
So then, what was Mr. X guarding against?
Was he guarding against me?
It seemed quite likely... As a Sequence 5, he certainly couldn't win against Silas. But if that were the case, why would he still be holding gatherings? Why keep spreading his own name and expanding his influence?
It was almost as if he were deliberately trying to lure Silas over.
After a moment's thought, Silas immediately placed the greatest likelihood on himself.
This wasn't him flattering himself either, considering that the True Creator had already released its Angelic servants to hunt him down.
If that was the case, then Mr. X was very likely a trap.