Chapter 1477 Subtle Changes Over Time <TOC> Chapter 1479 Special Guest Judge
Translator: SumTLMan
Angel stared at the name, speechless.
He was all too familiar with it.
Last time, in —Sky of Truth—, the exclusive revelations about Angel touching upon the mysterious realm and Isabelle’s return were penned by this very writer.
Initially, Angel didn’t pay much attention to these revelations. Many people were present at the time, and even if the magazine didn’t publish the story, it would eventually get out. However, what made this writer particularly memorable to Angel, to the point of gnashing his teeth, was the sensational manner in which he broke the news.
For instance, the two articles in —Sky of Truth— were titled, —Shocking! The powerhouse from a thousand years ago returns to the Southern Region, and the Wizarding World may be reshuffled!— and —Shocking! The Mysterious Alchemist was actually crafted into a magic puppet, and the reason is…—
The tone and content of these articles were steeped in schadenfreude, showing an ugly, malicious glee. It made Angel grind his teeth and wish he could give the writer a good thrashing.
And now, the guy was back at it again.
A glimmer flickered in Angel’s eyes——
Come to think of it, the stories in those two articles from —Sky of Truth— mainly took place in Silent Hill. So there’s a high chance that the writer was in Silent Hill at the time. He might either be a local of Silent Hill or an extraordinary individual connected to it.
Back then, Angel was preoccupied with the Purification Garden and didn’t give much thought to the writer’s identity.
However, now that he was breaking news again, and still targeting Angel, it was enough to capture Angel’s attention.
When Angel broke through to become a formal wizard this time, apart from the wizards in Black Castle, only the people who were aboard the Sky Ghost Ship in Silent Hill knew.
As for the pseudonym used by the author of the article, which is suffixed with ‘Grandpa,’ Angel doesn’t think it could be someone from Black Castle; after all, the majority there are witches. However, he doesn’t completely rule out that possibility, although the odds are slim.
If one shifts the focus to Silent Hill, a glint appears in Angel’s eyes.
He had previously had in-depth conversations with Wizard Ivan. Ivan is a quintessential academic, and Angel doubts that he would employ such a flamboyant writing style.
If it’s not Wizard Ivan, could it be one of the other apprentices on the Sky Ghost Ship? It’s a distinct possibility.
However, there’s another angle: When Ivan returns to Silent Hill, he’s likely to report the damage caused by Black Castle to the Sky Ghost Ship to his higher-ups. At that point, news of Angel’s advancement would probably spread throughout Silent Hill as well. Thus, the entire Silent Hill populace could potentially be the author, not just a handful of apprentices.
Angel’s gaze settles once again on the name: “Your Stone Grandpa… Stone…”
His expression darkens for a moment. When his eyes focus on the name “Stone,” the only figure that comes to mind who also must be from Silent Hill is——Two-Faced Stone Spirit Taros.
Angel recalls how he was pursued by Isabella in Silent Hill and how Taros was a witness. If Taros is indeed “Your Stone Grandpa,” he would have had ample opportunity to pen those articles.
Taking Taros’s personality into account, Angel’s face darkens even more. The arrogant pseudonym, sensationalist headlines, and flamboyant prose are entirely in line with Taros’s style.
Even this article, which can be described as “excessively flattering, bordering on sycophantic,” captures the element of ‘cowardice’ in Taros’s personality.
If it indeed turns out that Taros is the author, upon learning of Angel’s advancement — especially given that Angel is already on the threshold of true knowledge, is part of the Research Institute, and has the backing of wizards from Phantom Island and Savage Grottoes — it would make complete sense for Taros to opt for a submissive stance.
“Could it really be him?” A shadow crossed Angel’s eyes.
“Who?” Freud asked, puzzled.
Angel narrowed his eyes. He had almost forgotten about that guy, yet he reemerged in such a way.
“Nevermind,” Angel concealed his emotions, deciding such personal grievances didn’t need to be shared.
Angel gently placed the stack of papers back on the table. “While the information written isn’t exhaustive, it’s largely accurate.”
Freud had already been stunned but was still irresistibly captivated. He had initially thought the article was too exaggerated, possibly one-sided. But now, even Angel confirmed it as factual, signifying something momentous: Angel had not only become a formal wizard but had also pioneered a new spell. He was on the verge of attaining true knowledge!
Freud had many questions and emotions swirling within, yet he didn’t know where to begin and finally just sighed deeply.
Regardless, Angel’s advancement was excellent news, especially since Freud was now part of Angel’s formation. The higher Angel’s abilities, the higher Freud’s future achievements would be. Their fortunes were tied together, rising and falling as one.
“You look like you have something to say?”
Freud sighed, “I’m just feeling sentimental. I’m fortunate to have joined your ranks early. Otherwise, my emotions would probably be as complicated and anxious as my peers.”
The complexity arose from seeing someone who had caught up and surpassed their decades, or even nearly a century, of effort in just a few short years.
As for the anxiety, it stemmed from the fact that Angel’s promotion was still unconfirmed.
Some had even sought out prophetic wizards for insight. However, those specialized in prophecy were rare, and when questioned about Angel, they all had the same response——a smile and no comment.
The current chatter in Sky Mechanical City is filled with anticipation, as everyone is waiting for a decisive outcome.
After a long period of reflection, Freud finally smoothed over his emotions and began pondering deeper issues. “Now that you’ve advanced in realm, is it time to consider acquiring new powers?”
For Freud, his main concern is the Wilderness of Dreams. Although Initial Heart City appears to be thriving, there are many inconsistencies due to incomplete laws governing the Wilderness of Dreams. The citizens have begun to notice, but their understanding is limited. They’re still in the adaptation phase to the new city, so there hasn’t been a major backlash.
However, living there himself, Freud finds many aspects to be unconvincing. If they could be rectified quickly, it would be ideal.
Angel said, “To gain core powers as soon as possible, I plan to first find a scroll containing a rune that will boost my luck attributes, and only then seek new powers.”
Freud was slightly disappointed but understood this was the best course of action. Without the attribute of luck, if the next power he gained was trivial, it would be a moot point.
After a long discussion of seemingly irrelevant matters, Angel finally broached the main topic.
Regarding the matter of Popoca, although Angel had received an opinion from Sanders, he wanted to hear what Freud thought, particularly from the perspective of dreams.
Half an hour later, Angel left the Wilderness of Dreams and returned to reality.
Freud’s opinion wasn’t vastly different from Sanders’, but one point provided Angel with valuable insights.
As Popoca approached death, with his soul on the verge of plunging into the Abyss due to the pledge he had made, it was suggested to draw his spiritual light into the Wilderness of Dreams.
The key at that moment would be to completely sever the connection between the soul and the spiritual light.
In that case, even if the Demon God notices that a soul has lost its spiritual light and becomes too hollow, attempting to trace its origin would be futile.
As for severing this connection, it may be a complex task for others, but for Angel, it’s quite straightforward. This can be accomplished through the ‘Gatekeeper’ power.
After synthesizing the opinions of both Sanders and Freud, Angel has tentatively arrived at an answer in his mind.
He’s inclined to agree with Sparrow Blossom’s proposed trade.
However, agreeing comes with two prerequisites. First, Popoca’s original pledge to the Demon God must not involve sacrificing everything about himself. Otherwise, even if Angel successfully severs the connection between the soul and spiritual light, the Demon God could still trace it back to the Wilderness of Dreams if it so desires.
The second condition is that Sparrow Blossom cannot reveal their deal to Popoca, not even a hint. Only when Popoca naturally passes away, with his soul going to the Abyss and his spiritual light being drawn to the Wilderness of Dreams, can the truth be disclosed. In this way, even if the Demon God scours Popoca’s soul memories, it would find no clues, thereby minimizing the risk of detection.
If Popoca has already become aware of this matter, Angel would reject the trade.
Upon returning to reality, Angel immediately relayed this information to Sparrow Blossom.
Sparrow Blossom’s response also gave Angel some peace of mind.
Popoca’s pledge involves sacrificing his soul after death. And to keep Popoca from worrying, Sparrow Blossom has indeed not told him about the deal with Angel.
Satisfying these two conditions, Angel has also agreed to Sparrow Blossom’s trade.
After finalizing the agreement with Sparrow Blossom, Angel left the quiet room.
With this matter settled, he plans to meet with Lady Kimberly. He’s also curious as to why the Research Institute has suddenly reached out to him.
He wonders what it could be about?
Chapter 1477 Subtle Changes Over Time <TOC> Chapter 1479 Special Guest Judge