[Bayam—A desolate stretch of coastline]
The air twisted and warped, and a cloud of black, humanoid smoke suddenly appeared. It stumbled a few steps before collapsing to the ground. Then, the smoke swiftly condensed, reforming into a flesh-and-blood body.
A few seconds later, Edward reappeared.
"Hah—hah—hah—"
He lay on the ground, gasping for breath. "That was insane! I actually…actually attacked a Sequence 3 Saint head-on!"
Forcing strength into his legs, Edward staggered to his feet. "I never would've guessed that my Animagus form would end up being an Obscurus."
Normally, Animagi could only transform into ordinary animals. For him to break that 'law', there could be only two possible explanations:
Either a dormant Obscurus had long existed within this body, and the Animagus transformation merely awakened it.
Or the anomaly was caused by the effects of the potion itself.
Regardless, being able to transform into an Obscurus meant he now possessed both flight and terrifying destructive power—far superior to any ordinary creature. However...once transformed, his emotions became volatile and erratic, with an overwhelming urge to destroy everything in sight.
"Thankfully, that destructive impulse isn't completely uncontrollable. It'll just take time to adapt to it. Hmm...maybe some sessions with a therapist could help too."
Still, this unexpected gain had been a pleasant surprise tonight. After all, his original plan was simply to use a series of 'events' to digest the potion.
At that thought, he immediately calmed his mind and focused inward. A moment later, joy flashed across his face.
At this point, he had already digested most of the Madman potion!
Reckless behaviour truly was one of the best ways to digest potions in this world.
Edward exhaled deeply and looked out over the sea.
"So, how should I digest the rest?"
———
That day would later be known as the 'Day of Disaster' for the pirates of Bayam.
Last night, over a hundred pirates suddenly went berserk and launched an assault on the governor's mansion. Although they didn't manage to take it, the mansion was reduced to rubble in the chaos.
At the same time, a warship docked at the naval base was hijacked by another group of pirates. Although Sea King Jahn Kottman later caught up to them, the ironclad warship was sunk in the ensuing battle—by the very pirates he pursued—resulting in heavy losses for the Loen Sea Command.
Thus, early the next morning, the cleansing operation began.
The Loen military, working in tandem with the Church of the Lord of Storm, launched a thunderous crackdown, raiding several major pirate hubs—taverns, inns, and casinos—and issued a final ultimatum:
All pirates must leave Bayam within three days, or face the full wrath of the military.
Though such ultimatums had occurred occasionally in the past—usually during changes in governorship—this time, everyone could tell the demigod admiral was dead serious.
After all, the governor's mansion and a warship had both been destroyed. His reputation was in tatters. How could he not be seething with hatred for the pirates?
And the culprit behind it all?
The previously unknown, unpredictable madman—Gehrman Sparrow.
His bounty now stood at 250,000 pounds, while his subordinate "Fire Fist Ace" had also been bumped up to 20,000 pounds.
"Damn it!"
Danitz, back in his original form, cursed the moment he saw the bounty.
"Dogsh*t! Why the hell is mine not even a tenth of his?!"
But as he read through everything Gehrman Sparrow had done the night before…he silently closed his mouth.
You absolute lunatic.
I swear, as soon as I secure a ticket, I'm heading back to the Golden Dream and never getting involved with him again!
Slap!
A hand suddenly landed on his shoulder. Danitz instinctively drew his revolver in one smooth motion and aimed it—but froze the moment he saw who it was.
"You… you're back."
Edward pushed aside the gun barrel and smiled. "What are you afraid of? I'm Edward now."
"I don't see how that makes a difference," Danitz muttered as he put the gun away. "You're the crazy one, not your name." He glanced around nervously. "You've heard about the ultimatum, right? Bayam's going to be a pirate no-go zone for a while. I've already asked someone to buy my ship ticket—I'm leaving tonight. You...what about you?"
"I need to ask you something."
"What is it?"
"Do you know where the Pirate Admirals or the Four Kings are holding their next gathering?"
"I have no idea."
"Alright. But if you do get any leads, let my messenger know."
"Sure."
No sooner had he agreed than Danitz grew nervous again. "Wait—wait! You're not actually planning to go there and stir up trouble, are you?"
"Of course not. Do I look like someone who can't assess a situation? With that many powerhouses gathered, I'm just a mid-sequence Beyonder—it'd be suicide."
Danitz opened his mouth, but the words got stuck: You don't just look like that kind of person—you are that kind of person!
Edward shrugged. "I just want to go there to shop for some materials and mystical items."
"R-right…fine."
"Well then, let's part ways here. Do me a favour and tell your captain I really appreciated your help these past few days. Thanks to you, I was able to complete my mission."
"Wh-what mission? Attacking the governor's mansion? Provoking the Sea King? Sinking a warship?"
"Of course not."
Edward grinned. "You've forgotten why I first set out to sea, haven't you? I wanted to become a pirate hunter. And now, thanks to me, the pirates in Bayam are either caught, dead, or fleeing within three days. I'd say your average pirate hunter couldn't hold a candle to me."
Danitz's eyes widened. "Your…understanding of what it means to be a pirate hunter is certainly…unique."
"Well, I couldn't have done it without you."
"No, no, no!"
Danitz frantically waved his hands. "What you did has nothing to do with me! Anyway, I'm out. Goodbye—No! Not goodbye! Never see you again!"
He fled in a blur.
———
[Cathedral of Waves]
Afternoon.
A disguised Alger strode swiftly into the church. Bishop Jayce was already waiting beneath the sacred radiance symbolising the God of Storm's might.
Alger approached, placed his right hand over his chest, and saluted.
"Your Grace Jayce, you summoned me?"
"That's right," Jayce nodded. "I need you to investigate someone."
"Who?"
"Gehrman Sparrow."
Alger was taken aback. Having been at sea recently, he hadn't yet heard what had happened in Bayam. After a brief hesitation, he asked, "Who is that?"
"Go ask around yourself—you should be able to find news about him soon enough."
"Understood."
"Go, and once you find anything, report back immediately. Lord Kottmann is quite concerned about this matter."
Kottmann?
That demigod powerhouse, the one called The Sea King—Jahn Kottmann?
Alger's heart trembled with shock. He couldn't fathom what this Gehrman Sparrow could have done to draw the attention of a demigod.
Suppressing his doubts, Alger turned and left the Cathedral of Waves.
He was just about to head to his usual drinking spot to gather intel when a mist of grey suddenly rose before his eyes. At the end of the fog sat The Fool, gazing calmly at him.
The scene shifted again. The Tower appeared.
"Mr. Hanged Man," he said, "you mentioned before that a major Beyonder gathering was going to be held at sea. I happen to need to purchase some items. Can I accompany you?"
Alger's first reaction was suspicion—was The Tower trying to bypass him and sell off the mystical items he'd stored? But he quickly reconsidered. This matter had already been discussed at the Tarot Club; if he went back on his word now, it would leave a poor impression on everyone—including Mr. Fool.
So he nodded, "Of course. But the gathering likely won't happen for a while yet."
Soon, Edward received Alger's message. He thought for a moment and replied, "Alright. When you're ready to set out, let me know—I'll find a way to rendezvous with you."
When the grey mist dispersed, Edward stretched and leaned back against the sofa. Lilith, sprawled across his lap, arched her back and let out a yawn.
"Edward, I wanna go play with Susie."
"Go ahead. Use the Vanishing Cabinet."
It was his second day back in Backlund, and he was still staying at the same inn in the Hillston Borough.
He had spent the entire previous day resting in his room, waiting for news from the Twilight Hermit Order—but so far, no one had approached him.
"Is it because they think I'm not worth a Card of Blasphemy, so they're just ignoring me?"
Edward thought back. In the original work, the Twilight Hermit Order had used the Card of Blasphemy as bait in very specific events—both involving assassinations of Duke Negan: one orchestrated by Qilangos and the other by that devil.
Could it be that the tide of the times Adam was orchestrating was just one step away from being realized—and Duke Negan was the final obstacle?
And that obstacle would soon be removed by that devil?
Afterwards, the grand performances would unfold one by one, leading into war…and Adam, within the tide of the era, would take the potion and become a god.
But what if the devil's assassination failed? Or…what if the devil was taken out before he could act?
Would the Twilight Hermit Order look for another candidate, or take action themselves?
"Hey! If you won't come to me…then I'll create the conditions to make you come to me."
With that decision made, Edward immediately sprang into action.
Of course, he couldn't go look for the devil himself—that would be far too obvious. So instead…
Report him.
As usual, he first went to Saint Samuel Cathedral, where he 'casually' reported that he'd stumbled upon a suspicious individual—someone from the Beria Demon Family—hiding in Backlund with unknown motives. He claimed the recent serial murders were likely committed by this person, and advised the church to either arrest or eliminate him before he caused greater havoc.
Bishop Electra took this extremely seriously and immediately contacted the Nighthawks and Red Gloves.
Then Edward hurried off to Saint Hierländ Cathedral in St. George Borough—the headquarters of the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery in Backlund.
Last time, Ikanser Bernard of the Machinery Hivemind had sent him the Master Key, extending goodwill and warmly inviting him to visit. But unsure of their true intent, Edward had kept his distance. This time, he intended to report something—and probe their stance while he was at it.
He had just stepped into the cathedral with the crowd when a member of the Machinery Hivemind hurried over and asked in a low voice, "Mr. Edward, are you here to pray today, or do you have business with us?"
This efficiency surprised Edward. Though he hadn't gone out of his way to hide his identity, he hadn't even sat down yet, and someone was already approaching—clearly, someone had been assigned to keep an eye on him.
He thought for a moment, then drew a triangle over his chest.
"To report someone."
The Machinery Hivemind member blinked, caught off guard. That wasn't one of the expected answers.
"What…would you like to report?"
"You've heard about the recent serial murders in Backlund, right?"
"Yes. You want to report the killer?"
Edward nodded.
"That's right. I happened to witness one of the killings last night and barely escaped with my life. The culprit is a brutal Beyonder, likely a Sequence 5 on the Devil Pathway."
"Sequence 5?!"
The member's expression turned serious.
"I'll inform the Deacon immediately."
A few minutes later, Ikanser Bernard came rushing over. His hair wasn't as dishevelled as last time, and there was a sharper glint in his eyes. In truth, the church had already started investigating the murders in recent days, but progress had been limited.
"Mr. Edward, can you tell me more about this murderer?"
"Let me think."
Edward deliberately paused, pretending to recall.
"Last night…"
He repeated the story he'd made up earlier, then suddenly added as if a memory had just returned to him, "Right! I remember that killer's face—I think I've seen him before at some small bank. His name was…Jason! Yes, that's it."
"Jason. Got it."
"But I don't think that's his real identity. Devils are notoriously cunning and sly—there's no reason he'd commit murder using a face that could be recognised so easily."
Edward gave a helpless shrug.
"Still, I don't know what his true face looks like. Oh, and I've heard Devils can sense danger in advance—so if you try to locate him through divination or similar means, you might alert him instead."
Ikanser froze, a trace of concern in his eyes.
"Fortunately, our Church possesses a mystical artefact that might be able to locate him without tipping him off."
"Great! I hope you can catch the killer in one fell swoop."
"You have my word."
Ikanser's tone became solemn.
"If your information proves useful, I'll also apply to have a bounty awarded to you."
"Uh, thank you."
The Machinery Hivemind immediately launched into action, but they made no further mention of the previously gifted key or the invitation. This left Edward somewhat confused, wondering if he had read too much into things.
"Well, maybe that's for the best."
———
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