Eldritch Horror Theatre

Not the root of the disaster, but a Savior?

The legendary concept of multifaceted interpretation was perfectly realized in this moment.

Within a blink's worth of changes, Fu Qian had formed two entirely different hypotheses regarding the masterpiece before him.

Not only that, he even recalled another rather artistic object he had seen before—the piled mass above the falling point inside the very first Etched Intellect he had encountered here.

Back then, the meaning behind those bizarre shapes had been hard to parse. Now, taking in the storm before him, it gave him an overwhelming sense of déjà vu.

The location was right, the theme was right, though the linework was a bit rough...

It looked as if a child had simply doodled the storm's silhouette.

Just as he'd thought—hang anything in an art gallery, even a master's booger, and it would definitely hold some profound meaning worth interpreting.

Having successfully connected so many elements at once, Fu Qian marveled silently.

He vaguely remembered that the key trait required for his advancement to Tier 2 had been safeguarded by a Solar-Powered Whale.

If he took a charitable view from that angle, the scene unfolding before him looked more like the whale had sacrificed itself to block the storm, causing its own body to shatter in the process.

And the exact point where the two forces collided was regarded as the origin of the world and the Transcendent Terminus.

The implications of that were quite staggering.

It wasn't as simple as a mere Divine Being or a higher entity. This was at least on the level of a world pillar, the kind of existence capable of mending the heavens single-handedly.

Even under his Vision Radar, its rank was absurdly high—though it felt more like it was one with the lake beneath it.

...

Crystal Lake?

He didn't even need to go for a swim to know that it wasn't real water. It wasn't even a liquid.

Even though it looked incredibly clear and transparent.

Splash!

Still, Fu Qian jumped right in.

For the first time since arriving in the Back Room, Fu Qian left his seat and dove smoothly into the lake.

What followed was a bizarre tactile sensation.

It wasn't water, yet it felt just like it. The substance parted silkily around him, practically swallowing him whole.

Along with it came an immense crushing pressure and a sharp cutting sensation. It even felt somewhat familiar—

Just like that unique pool back on Ye Island, inside the Tomb of the Nameless Deity guarded for generations by the Kamakura Family.

It also reminded him of the swimming pool he had dived into during his Tier 2 advancement ritual, when he went to salvage the Skull that symbolized the Wisdom of the Deity.

All of them were entire pools of crystals perfectly interlocked with one another, making them look like pristine bodies of water.

A crystal curse, or perhaps a blessing... Was this why the suspected believers of the Nameless Frenzied God had ended up in that state?

If that were true, he had to admit the implications were staggeringly vast.

...

As more elements snapped into place, the situation predictably began to look a lot more dire.

Ever since he had accepted this job offer, he had encountered quite a few things related to crystals, and most of them involved incredibly high ranks.

Was the tragedy that had befallen the Academy exploration team back then really the result of them poking some terrifying hornet's nest?

Marveling once more at the sheer peril of the transcendent path, Fu Qian drifted up to the "storm."

Unlike the "lake," both the whale and the storm were far more structurally stable. Neither reacted or shifted in response to their visitor's arrival.

Feeling quite relieved by that, Fu Qian extended a single finger and slowly reached toward the crystal storm.

[SAN Value -1]

[SAN Value -1]

...

So this was why exhibits had a "do not touch" policy.

Sighing inwardly, Fu Qian suddenly understood the necessity of that particular regulation.

Before he even made physical contact, the familiar notification chimes had already started ringing with no sign of stopping.

Was this storm of unknown origin the very thing that had been ruthlessly harvesting his SAN Value earlier?

He had to admit, that was rather intriguing. Why was it targeting him so specifically?

It looked completely ordinary—and touching it felt ordinary too.

Even with the warnings ticking up like a time bomb about to blow, Fu Qian didn't play it safe. He firmly pressed his finger against it.

However, as he had noted, the texture wasn't particularly special. It genuinely felt like touching a modern art piece.

[SAN Value -10]

But the notification that followed immediately redefined the concept of "low-key."

He hadn't even scratched his finger, yet his SAN Value had still suffered its steepest single-instance plunge to date.

[SAN Value -1]

While he was relatively rich in that stat, he wasn't about to squander it recklessly. Fu Qian quickly pulled his hand back and touched the whale instead.

The resulting notification was much more comforting. Taking a loss was one thing, but seeing the drop finally ease up felt as relieving as watching a plummeting stock finally break its limit-down streak.

Just as he'd thought.

More importantly, this comparison provided a clear conclusion.

True to its reputation as a friend to humanity, the whale was significantly gentler than the storm.

So, had it really sacrificed itself, using its own body to block this solidified storm?

It was an astonishing thought, even if he still didn't understand why the storm was so violently hostile toward an outsider like him.

But from that perspective, he could somewhat understand the concept of a Transcendent Terminus. As for the origin of the world—

Retracting his hand thoughtfully, Fu Qian glanced back at Tier 2 A Fei a short distance away.

"The starting point is the ending point, because the 'you' who crosses that starting point is no longer you... I have a feeling you might have gotten that earlier question right."

...

Tier 2 A Fei was the only person still standing who hadn't crystallized.

Just a few steps away, the tirelessly hardworking Toolman A Fei finally seemed to be reaping a slight reward for his efforts—the ground beneath his feet hadn't crystallized.

And despite technically being a biological creature who had just engaged in close-quarters combat with the Lord of Intellect, his physical body remained reassuringly fleshy and intact.

On that front alone, he was faring far better than even the True King of the Abandoned Prison.

Indeed, from his current vantage point, he could clearly spot a figure hovering somewhere above.

The True King of the Abandoned Prison, who had turned to gaze down at them earlier, had now fully manifested. It was plainly visible to the naked eye, no longer requiring any supernatural perception to spot.

Its appearance perfectly matched what he had sensed earlier—a hollow mummy.

However, its visual impression was now strikingly similar to that of the Lord of Intellect. Every part of its body had transformed into an assembly of crystalline shards, giving it an even more rugged silhouette.

Beyond that, the figure remained entirely silent. It hadn't moved from its spot and was still locked in a steady gaze in their direction.

Still, Fu Qian could sense that the entity hadn't entirely turned into a lifeless statue; it still retained a lingering trace of vitality.

But the fact that even an entity of its rank couldn't stave off crystallization only proved how excellent his earlier judgment had been—and just how exceptional Toolman A Fei truly was.

The only pity was that, even when faced with the mastermind's glowing approval, the latter remained completely silent, perfectly embodying the aloof demeanor of a master of the sword path.

"Indeed, All Feasts Under Heaven Must Disperse."

Fu Qian didn't press the matter. Sighing softly, he began recalling the route to the Lighthouse Lookout.

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