When the plot-skips players into the game world

Aiwass scattered a great amount of black pearl powder as if it cost nothing, while chanting loudly:

"I implore the Eternal Self, the God of the sacred number one, the God who dies and is born again, the God of Enduring Obscurity!

——Eternal Self of the Moon! Look upon this Sun that has not risen yet has set!

"I beseech you to manifest the stars of four thousand years ago in this place——"

The next moment, Moonlight poured in like mercury spilling on the ground, flowing into the underground chamber that had neither windows nor any cracks for light to seep through.

This was a place secluded from the gaze of the Eternal Self.

And now, at the call of Aiwass, the power of the Path of Love forced its way in. Excess energy from the Path overflowed in the air that had already achieved harmony, and the twelve runes around them lit up with stars one after another.

Looking up, one could see the bright moon hanging high in the sky and the myriad of stars.

The dim underground chamber in a flash seemed like the night sky itself. The sealed stone walls appeared almost transparent.

Even looking directly from the outside up at the sky, the stars were not so bright. Perhaps the stars would be quite luminous over a small place like Shepherd Bay County, but the nights on Glass Island were much busier, and consequently, the stars in the sky seemed dimmer because of it.

The dark shadows wrapped Sherlock into a cocoon, while the bright Moonlight draped over Aiwass.

His entire body shone with a silvery glow, as if he were the Moon walking on earth.

Aiwass pulled out an ordinary-looking dagger and stepped up the stairs beside him, one step at a time. He mounted the back of the black bull.

Normally, the bull would have been startled by this, or at least would have become uneasy and stamped its hooves.

But at the moment, its pupils were flowing with a dark golden luminance of Authority, as if something dwelled within it.

Aiwass chanted gravely and solemnly: "I am the Father of the Sun, I am the shadow of the Eternal Self.

"I am the King of all the stars, the end of Mithra, and also the birth of Mithra. I command the death of the bull."

As he spoke, he used the dagger to cut open the palm of his left hand, drawing the symbol of Aries—a slightly curled at the ends "V."

Aiwass raised his left hand, allowing his blood to drop onto the bull's eyebrows.

That blood, like searing fire, ignited a crimson flame as it touched the bull's head.

"I am the courageous Aries, the Sun that has died and dies again, I am the Son of the Moon, I am the brother of all the stars!"

Aiwass chanted for the second time: "I execute the death of the bull——"

What should have been a ritual to be completed by a second person, was executed by Aiwass alone.

Having said this, he violently thrust the iron tool into the bull's forehead.

This was not a weak spot on the bull, but rather the hardest part of its body.

The blood-red flames climbed up the iron dagger, and golden sparks erupted intensely. It was as if he was not stabbing the bull's head with a dagger, but welding metal.

After the dagger penetrated, the bull let out an earth-shattering bellow.

It struggled violently, stamping crazily in place. But it could not break free no matter what, as if an invisible wall stopped it.

"Son of Moghara, raise your head like a fledgling crow!"

Riding atop the violently struggling bull, Aiwass chanted loudly: "Drink the blood of this bull, drink of the blood of abundance like the parched earth — this is the blood of the Sun!

"The old day has died, the new day has come; I command the sprouting and birthing of all grains!"

As the bull struggled, its blood splattered everywhere.

The blood, steaming and sparkling with golden sparks as it fell to the ground, caused clusters of grain and fresh flowers to grow at a visible pace.

But at this instant, Aiwass suddenly stopped short.

For at that moment, he saw a peculiar vision —

As if the Codex Book he had only half-read before had lifted some sort of seal.

——The vision that had abruptly stopped before suddenly continued.

He saw the Three-legged Crow charging at him, the golden Sun passing through its body.

Aiwass was ablaze.

He instinctively looked back, only to see that the golden glow that had burnt on the Three-legged Crow had completely dissipated.

It was like charred kindling, pitch black as coal.

The Three-legged Crow flew towards the distance, yet the sky did not darken because of this.

It was then that Aiwass realized —

He himself was the Sun!

——The Three-legged Crow had passed the fire of the Sun onto him!

That was the sacred flame of the Dawn Celestial Marshal, and he was now perfectly suited for the ritual, becoming the new day that slays the old.

He saw the many golden symbols on the bull's body spread along the flames and along the dagger towards him. The symbols moved like living creatures across Aiwass's body, shining with golden light.

They wandered, then one by one inexplicably faded, leaving only the Horus symbols that Aiwass could not understand.

They remained on Aiwass's chest, forming a sun-like ring, then slowly disappeared once more. But they left behind a vague mark.

Aiwass had no time to investigate the changes that had occurred in his body and felt the wound in the palm of his left hand suddenly heal.

By this time, the Sun had already risen by a thread.

The bull died at sunrise — it died standing. The places inscribed with symbols cracked open as if those were not symbols but wounds instead.

Deep cuts in the shape of words bled profusely, and the fresh blood dripping onto the black cocoon slowly seeped in drop by drop.

Aiwass hurriedly completed the final step of the ritual:

"The bull is dead, the covenant is sealed — turn the celestial bodies, reborn Mithra!"

As the black cocoon began to shatter slowly, the many stars within the ritual chamber started to rotate in synchrony.

By the time the cocoon was completely shattered, the celestial bodies had indeed shifted.

The position of the Sun moved officially from Taurus to Aries. The bull was dead, and Mithra was born — it was the new Sun God of Aries.

Then, the stars gradually dimmed.

Aiwass climbed down from the bull and turned around lightly before bowing. As the simplest of dances, he bid farewell to Eternal Self, who cherished this form of ritual dance, as it departed.

The moonlight seeped away bit by bit, as if during a lunar eclipse. And only after the moonlight had been completely swallowed by the shadows did Aiwass breathe a sigh of relief.

He pushed over the motionless, stiff carcass of the bull and reached out to pull Sherlock up from the deep pit.

Seeing Sherlock, who wanted to retrieve his clothes immediately after completing the ritual, Aiwass couldn't help but laugh.

—It was indeed almost as he had predicted.

"...What's with that look, staring at me?"

Sherlock looked at Aiwass with some suspicion.

He had wanted to look in the mirror... but as soon as he began to speak, he realized something was off.

Sherlock's voice had become childish, as if his voice had yet to change.

He suddenly startled and looked down to check. His hands had shrunken by more than a size.

"A thirteen-year-old boy, this is the newborn Sun. Back to the age when you had just entered middle school... it's quite a rejuvenation," said Aiwass with a smile, "Isn't that something to be happy about?"

"...This is fake, right?"

Sherlock quickly calmed down.

He clenched his fist and replied, "I don't feel any decline in my physical strength— that's why I didn't realize it immediately."

"Correct, it's only a change in appearance," Aiwass affirmed with a click of his tongue when Sherlock didn't fall for it.

He then explained, "You are currently a newcomer to the organization, so your appearance has reverted to that of a youth, symbolizing vitality and courage.

"Once you've gained Wisdom and become a Worshipper of Mithra, you'll revert to your twenties, a young adult. That is the fourth energy level; and if you are recognized for your Dedication, you will become a Messenger of Mithra, aging to a man of thirty, in his prime. That's the fifth energy level; and if by chance you acquire the trait of Authority, you'll become a man past forty, the Father of Mithra, reaching middle age… and that is the sixth energy level."

...Hmm?

Sherlock paused for a moment.

He got the vague impression from Aiwass's tone that this path did not stop there.

But the sixth energy level was already an unattainable realm for the time being. Only the Eternal Pope had reached the sixth energy level.

However...

If, as Aiwass had previously mentioned, "Mithraism" encompasses the five powers of Balance, Wisdom, Strength, Dedication, and Adaptation, and if his youthful form represented Balance or Adaptation, then logically, there should be an elderly form corresponding to another power.

Moreover, the Sun is something that has died and must die again, something born that must be reborn. Sherlock had an inkling that after old age, it would only make sense to turn back again...

...But how could that be?

How could there be a path beyond the sixth energy level...

Sherlock was a bit perplexed, but he just made a mental note of the matter.

Looking at the clothes on the ground, which were now several sizes too large, the young Sherlock pondered for a while, wondering whether to ask Aiwass to fetch some clothes for younger people, but eventually he decided against it.

He put his baggy clothes back on and resolved to first help Aiwass clean up the ceremony site.

At least, they shouldn't cause any inconvenience for the Bishop who lent them the space.

"Fox."

"Hmm?"

"Before we set off tomorrow, help me buy some new clothes. It's a hassle for you, but I appreciate it," Sherlock said with an immature yet steady voice, "I don't look suitable to go out like this."

"No problem," Aiwass said with a smile, "I'll buy you some cute clothes."

"...Don't do anything unnecessary, Fox. Ordinary is fine. We're heading to the countryside—clothes suited for activity would be best," Sherlock replied, struggling to maintain his composure, quickly adding.

"Sure," Aiwass said casually.

He was just joking anyway.

After all, it was too dark here, and he hadn't actually seen what Sherlock had looked like as a youth. Aiwass simply had the habitual desire to be a bit of a tease—after all, he had just done Sherlock a big favor, and at this point, even if he were to be a little bit mean, Sherlock couldn't get angry.

So this meanness was absolutely obligatory!

"By the way, smelly Fox."

"What?"

"Thanks," Sherlock said softly, without looking back, "I mean, my headache is gone... so, thanks."

The corners of Aiwass's mouth turned up slightly, "No problem, we're buddies—and are you sure you wouldn't prefer something cuter? I think Ligeia would definitely be interested."

"Forget what I just said." Sherlock regretted his words.

"Just kidding, bro."

"Let's not joke about that. It won't be long before I advance and return to my original form, so don't tell them about this… What are you doing so quietly, planning some mischief?"

"I was wondering if Isabel has a camera."

"Don't tell the Princess or Master Yanis about this!"

The two were scrubbing the walls of the cellar of St. Genvieve Chapel in the early morning hours, not knowing how long it would take.