When the plot-skips players into the game world

The materials needed to create the "Wheel of Destiny" card weren't easy to find.

To save time, Aiwass directly enlisted her three partners to help her search for them.

Although the requirements weren't as stringent as those for the "Moon" card, they were nevertheless a bit troublesome— but thankfully, only troublesome.

In total, four owl feathers, three gryphon feathers, the shackles and key of the Wise Prisoner, as well as the bandages or gauze used by someone who had suffered a fatal wound but ultimately survived, together with a small amount of sapphire powder, were needed.

The first two items were easy to find.

Owls might be rare, but they weren't Transcendent creatures. Just last night, Aiwass had asked the gryphon Liz to capture one. And the gryphon feathers were even closer at hand.

It was the last two materials that were difficult to locate.

The "Wheel of Destiny" card symbolizes change, inevitability, and forces beyond control... and the Thoth Tarot edition of the Wheel of Destiny also adds the meaning of "twisting fate by one's own will."

This means you can't just lie down and let things happen. Instead, you have to spin the Wheel of Destiny yourself, show your will, and change your fate—and to do this, you need sufficient wisdom and extensive learning and reading. By turning the lower part of the Wheel of Destiny, you drive the higher aspects, ultimately managing to turn the entire Wheel of Destiny.

It belongs to the Path of Wisdom Tarot cards.

The essence of the third material is "the prison broken by a bound sage"; the fourth is "proof that a person threatened by Death reversed their fate with strong willpower."

Neither of these items was easy to find.

It wasn't just a rarity issue... but also because no one would pay attention to such things, it was easy to buy the wrong materials and be deceived. For instance, hospitals wouldn't know which patients with fatal injuries would survive, so their medical waste was definitely thrown out together.

In such a case, how can one find that specific roll of bandages? Moreover, if it had become contaminated with other people's blood or medicinal solutions, its pure symbolic meaning might also be tainted.

The same went for the shackles used by the Wise Prisoner—just how wise does someone have to be to be considered wise? Would the shackles used by him have already been lost or replaced? Could others have used these shackles in the meantime... for instance, a fool might have used them afterward, contaminating the concept?

In search of these two materials, they went to quite some trouble. "Proof of the tenacious will of the person who turned Death away" was eventually found as a substitute—by Hayna.

It was a bullet collected by a teacher from Flute Town years ago.

This bullet had been extracted from his own body. He had been taken hostage and abducted by a criminal, then he stubbornly tried to escape on his own. Unsurprisingly, he was discovered by the kidnapper at a critical moment.

The kidnapper, already encircled by the Supervisory Bureau and eager to flee, couldn't recapture him. But unable to bear letting the hostage escape, he shot him from a distance three times.

His marksmanship was actually quite average, but he was lucky that day. From a distance of at least thirty to forty meters, all three shots hit their mark.

One hit his buttocks, another his thigh. The third bullet, however, struck right in his chest.

By a sheer coincidence, the bullet lodged between the teacher's heart and lungs. It pierced an artery nonetheless, nearly costing him his life. Fortunately, a Priest was present and barely saved him.

But the Priest's Illumination Art couldn't directly remove the bullet. Later, they performed surgery to remove the bullet—and he nearly died once more. So, he kept the bullet as a "proof of his good fortune," often boasting about it to his students.

Purchasing it turned out to be quite a hassle, but luckily, Hayna was the one who handled it.

Seeing his former student now successful, the elderly teacher was overjoyed. Hearing Hayna needed it, he even considered giving her the bullet for free... It was only Aiwass who insisted on paying, thus purchasing it.

As for the other material, they really had no clue.

So the decisive Hayna proposed a rather immoral but effective solution.

—She had Aiwass report Sherlock for a crime, drawing the nearby Supervisory Bureau to apprehend the "newsboy."

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The manacled little Sherlock was full of question marks.

Hayna then personally stepped in, using the pretext of little Sherlock being involved in another major case to "escort him to Glass Island." Since his crimes were not directly cleared, this incident was still to be recorded—thus qualifying those shackles as "shackles of the Wise Prisoner."

Anyway, the name of the criminal was definitely not Sherlock Hermes but some name Sherlock had made up on the spot... considering he was now using the identity of a child. Plus, once he advanced again, that identity would cease to exist.

"...Other things aside," Aiwass expressed his gratitude and gave a rather high appraisal, "Hayna, your ability to handle affairs has indeed improved. At first, I truly did not expect that you would be the one to find these two materials for me..."

"There was no other way."

Hayna smiled helplessly, "In that dream, I had to do everything myself. When you think more, you have to make some changes."

She too used to be the kind who liked to follow orders. No need to think, no need to take responsibility, it's a blissful state for the mindless. There's no pressure and no worry about paying the price for doing something wrong.

But in a crisis where she must step forward... she was never the type to abandon everything and run away.

Over time, she honed her skills.

Afterwards, Aiwass and the others quickly passed through the "Villager Passage" and rode a Gryphon back to Eagle Cape Village. When Aiwass completed the preparatory work for the card-making, he preserved it with sapphire powder.

Without realizing it, the afternoon shifted to before dusk.

Aiwass could distinctly feel the sense of crisis.

An unmistakable intent to kill enveloped him, and an ominous curse faintly but surely targeted Aiwass.

—Originally, they were not certain when the Penalty Demon would come. But now there was no need to guess.

"It's probably that Giant Prince."

Aiwass had explained in advance to the others, which also subjected them to tremendous pressure.

After finishing the card-making, Aiwass first summoned the Defiant Flame Butterfly in its follower form and then began to outline the Ritual Array.

Most protective rituals probably wouldn't work against the Penalty Demon. Its rank was too high, resulting in overwhelming penetration power. Likewise, curses were virtually ineffective against it, and ritualistic magic was even less useful.

But a pure Enhancement Ritual was still feasible.

Using the freshly gathered ritual materials, Aiwass simply completed a Blessing Skill for several people. This would make them luckier on various levels, and although the extent wasn't large, it was versatile.

Ever since mastering the Sacred Art of "Blessing," Aiwass had scarcely used it. After all, his battles were either overwhelming, or he needed to rely on external assistance, or it was a sudden attack... This was also his first time formally arranging a fight.

He was somewhat nervous.@@novelbin@@

Aiwass also took out the potions prepared by Yulia.

Aiwass kept a bottle of Vitality Potion for himself, giving the rest to Hayna. He gave her the Featherfall Potion as well, the Petrification Potion to Sherlock, and the Snake Venom Ointment to Lily.

The Red-Handled Sword was also drawn by Aiwass.

Its illusionary effect would last until sunset the next day. Therefore, it had to be activated after the sun had set, so it could maintain its effect for the longest period of time.

After all preparations were made.

Aiwass's brow, however, slightly furrowed.

He felt the discomfort growing stronger within him.

It was as if a scythe was scraping over his scalp or like a dump truck was speeding past him—though there was no pain, he suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. There was an ominous premonition.

He heard what seemed like drum beats near his ears, and a growing pressure throbbed at his heart.

Aiwass realized it was a scrutinizing gaze—something was watching him.

"There's been a change," Aiwass suddenly said with a serious expression, "It seems they plan to curse and kill me before even entering Eagle Cape Village."