Eldritch Horror Theatre

"So they really are the same type of opponent!"

The Old Man Sage's commanding conclusion earned a silent burst of admiration from Fu Qian.

Omniscience against omniscience.

Just like the Blind Eye Holy Grail, the old man wasn't merely a knowledge-based combatant—he could effortlessly see right through the methods of others.

Although it seemed he couldn't copy things at will, and his Insight state couldn't be maintained indefinitely, this "invalid on the second attempt" effect was perfectly suited for countering such a formless, untraceable killing blow.

Thinking back to the beginning in the Puzzle Illusion Realm, when the Old Man Sage had assured them they wouldn't need to worry too much later on, he had likely relied on a similar method.

The likelihood that the old man was a rising star in the Blind Eye Society had just skyrocketed, making this peculiar organization all the more intriguing.

To think that a mortal body, relying purely on "knowledge" and transcendent items, could achieve this much.

...

Ais had a sharp mind. Although the Old Man Sage's explanation was brief, she pieced it together with Scrooge's earlier words and became the first to react.

"That thing just now—our guy just got scared and ran away on his own?"

Drawing a sharp breath, she stepped forward. Seeing that Charlotte still refused to let go of Scrooge, she pressed a hand over Charlotte's.

"He was merely misled. Just now, he probably saw the Sage turn into a living corpse as well."

As if trying to avoid provoking Charlotte any further, she kept her voice as gentle as her touch, explaining the core of the matter simply and clearly.

"Is that really it?"

Frowning at this, Charlotte realized Scrooge was being choked too tightly to answer. With a cold snort, Charlotte tossed him to the ground.

"Doesn't that mean the one who ran away just now is actually fine? Should we chase after him and bring him back?"

Soothed by both the Sage and Ais, Charlotte finally calmed down and realized something.

"That would take more time than we can afford."

Unsurprisingly, the Old Man Sage shook his head.

"He has already made his contribution, and our goal is not far off."

"All right."

It was obvious Charlotte had only asked in passing; he nodded in understanding.

The "contribution" that missing brother had made was, naturally, serving as cannon fodder.

These methods were so bizarre and unpredictable that whoever brought up the rear was obviously out of luck.

Even Charlotte couldn't guarantee he wouldn't have fled.

In truth, when facing an opponent against whom sheer numbers offered no real advantage, the size of their team was largely just to increase their margin for error.

And when the Sage mentioned their goal was close, the subtext was clear: they wouldn't need as much cannon fodder from here on out.

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Having finally caught his breath, Scrooge scrambled to his feet and moved to the front of the group.

"I can't wait to witness this power for myself. To pull off misdirection of that magnitude... Sage, do you think it's alive?"

"That depends on how you define the concept of being alive."

The Sage glanced at Scrooge as they walked side by side, seemingly aware of his concerns.

"Perceiving everything is its fundamental nature, just as light naturally illuminates everything around it. By that same token, it also refuses to be perceived."

"The Holy Grail naturally tends to vanish from all cognition. Every action it has taken so far is a manifestation of that attribute. In fact, that is exactly how it has survived here for so long."

"But beyond that, if you're asking whether it possesses a so-called sense of self, it obviously wouldn't harbor such a tedious concept."

"Understood. I don't think there could be a Sacred Relic more fitting for The Society."

Scrooge let out a long sigh, a look of profound satisfaction washing over his face.

"And I truly believe it can help mortals usher in a new era."

...

Naturally tends to vanish from all cognition?

I think I'm starting to understand the reason behind this mission.

Unsurprisingly, VIP treatment existed even within The Society. Compared to the cannon fodder who had just been abandoned, watching the Sage patiently explain all this to Scrooge allowed Fu Qian to passively pick up plenty of secrets.

So, was the real reason the Warehouse had sent him here because people—led by the Old Man Sage—had learned of the Holy Grail's existence?

The logic was simple. If the Holy Grail had existed here for many years, its state of "unperceived existence" was highly likely deemed safe by the Warehouse.

And the ambitious drive of these Academy upstarts threatened to trigger some disastrous, uncontrollable outcome?

It made perfect sense. It even explained why the team members had been selected with such meticulous care.

The more people knew about it, the more violent the Holy Grail's reaction would undoubtedly be. Factoring in its authority to copy abilities, this seemingly fragile team was likely the optimal solution crafted from a delicate balancing act.

But at the same time, another question inevitably arose—why restrict his abilities?

If the problem was simply that these people knew too much and were stirring up trouble, the Warehouse could have just sent him in to slap them all to death.

Even with the Old Man Sage's ability to delay death, Fu Qian didn't think the man could survive under his hands for more than a few milliseconds.

They wouldn't have even needed to tell him about the Blind Eye Holy Grail.

Yet instead, the Warehouse had confiscated all his abilities and transcendent items, forcing him to quietly tag along on this expedition.

Why?

It couldn't just be a cheap way to increase the difficulty, could it? A punishment for his poor work attitude in the past?

Fu Qian mentally shook his head, rejecting the theory.

To him, the Warehouse had a lot in common with the Holy Grail—it operated entirely on its core nature. Meaningless "emotions" like spite shouldn't factor into its decisions.

He couldn't shake the feeling that the answer to this question was a vital piece of information.

"You did well."

Right as he was pondering this, Ais's voice rang out beside him.

Praising him? He had been slacking off the entire time. How did that qualify as doing well?

Fu Qian shot her a mildly curious look, only to find Ms. Ais wearing a smile. Her praise seemed surprisingly genuine.

Her mental resilience really was impressive. No wonder the Old Man Sage had dared to assemble a team laden with such inherently volatile elements.

Then again, it was also possible that these three were VIPs who had essentially bought their way in, making them impossible to exclude.

"I don't think I actually did anything, did I?"

"Exactly. It's precisely because you did nothing. Just look at the ones who did."

Ais gestured casually around them, a critique that caused more than one person's breath to catch.

Old habits die hard, indeed!

Fu Qian mentally shook his head at the sight.

She had a point, actually. Given the situation, merely holding his ground and not causing further chaos was a stellar performance for the role he was supposed to be playing.

The problem was that stating it so openly was undoubtedly painting a target on his back.

Was she doing this because he had seemed a little too unfazed?

It seemed extraordinary talent always came with eccentricities. This woman's need for control was simply outrageous.

"You weren't bad yourself."

Too lazy to bicker, Fu Qian satisfied her psychological need in the simplest way possible—while remaining expressionlessly modest, he let his gaze linger on her Sacred Cloth for two extra seconds.

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