When the plot-skips players into the game world

Chapter 587: Chapter 11: The Cruel Autumn Chapter 587: Chapter 11: The Cruel Autumn When Akpolis spoke, the pitch-black space gradually began to take on color and shape.

However, unlike the previous promotion ceremonies—this time’s “static preview” wasn’t as clear as the ones Erinys and Gavin gave, nor as bizarre and misleading as Merlin’s…

and certainly not like Terpsichore’s, who simply danced and then showed nothing.

The scene displayed by Akpolis was extremely distorted.

The colors seemed to leach out from the void with a slimy and nauseating touch.

They were so vivid that they resembled hallucinations induced by mushrooms…

not only expanding and contracting weirdly with each breath but also layered with colorful afterimages at the edges of objects.

On closer inspection, the surfaces of the objects seemed to be constantly changing, as if their shapes were not yet fully defined.

Even so, Aiwass immediately recognized the scene—

This was the banquet hall of the Hall of Silver and Tin.

Upon seeing this somewhat familiar yet strange scene, Aiwass’s heart skipped a beat.

Here was a table much larger than the one in the Round Table Hall, seventy-seven meters in length, able to accommodate two hundred and twenty guests.

Besides the central long table, there was also an embellishment of seven smaller round tables, which in total could seat over three hundred people.

Such a banquet hall was only used during very special celebrations…

such as a Monarch’s wedding, or to entertain important guests from other countries.

At other times, the banquet hall was usually closed.@@novelbin@@

Although Aiwass often stayed at the Hall of Silver and Tin, he hadn’t frequented this particular area much.

He was able to recognize it instantly because of another reason.

In the game “Ring of Ouroboros,” the final scene of version 1.0, which was also the main storyline climax, thrusting everything into the vortex of destruction—was set right here in this banquet hall during the main quest “The Cruel Autumn.”

The quest had a high required level of 29, while the level cap for players in version 1.0 was 30.

Without considering the whales and experts forcibly completing the promotion ceremony, level 29 could be seen as the cap for ordinary players.

This was the first quest they tackled after reaching the cap.

“For this ceremony, a total of four candidates possess multiple Paths.”

Akpolis spoke languidly, “I won’t repeat what has been said before…

those who know should already be aware.

“But this ceremony is a bit different from the others.

For most of you, it’s the ceremony that will decide your advanced professions.

Don’t be too nervous though…

If you haven’t decided on what new profession to advance to, you can temporarily reserve the chance and make your choice in the next ceremony.

“I know some Prophets and Witches might choose this, as they don’t want to be promoted to Fools or Witches…

Hehe, but in my opinion, it’s the Demon Scholars who really ought to be cautious,” he said.

The old man cloaked in serpent scales stooped, his hands resting on a serpent staff, as he drawled on.

His blue-green snake eyes looked like jewels, flickering with a faint light.

Unlike past hosts—He did not speak by formula but rather rambled on his own.

Though He indeed had such privilege…

because Akpolis was the most powerful, the oldest in service, and also the highest-ranking Angel Envoy under the Lord of Scalefeather.

And moreover…

Aiwass watched Him.

Had He guessed something, or received some prophecy?

Before the “Ring of Ouroboros” ceremony was grounded, nobody could say that the promotion route of a Demon Incarnation was wrong.

—What if it was not Lord Ouroboros who ascended, but Lord Fallen instead?

If the Fallen Celestial Marshal became the new Pillar God and changed the embodiment of the eighth River of the Dream Realm from the upward “Transcendence” to the downward “Fall,” then the Demon Incarnation would become the most correct promotion path.

Summoning Demons, controlling Demons, understanding Demons, and then becoming a Demon…

Marked with the Mark of Sin and becoming a Demon manipulated by the Fallen Celestial Marshal.

Commanded to snatch the souls of mortals from the Material Realm to spread sin and chaos was the mission.

The key point was that completely turning into a Demon meant losing the mortal flesh, giving up the ability to enter the Dream Realm through dreams, and thus forfeiting the opportunity for promotion through the ceremony.

Without a doubt, that was indeed a downward move toward “Fall.”

A constant shedding, a continuous falling, an unending corruption.

Isn’t this a perfect match for the path of “corruption”?

Even if the Serpent Celestial Marshal ascends, as long as the Fallen Celestial Marshal has not fallen, the Demon Incarnation cannot be considered a “wrong” path.

Even if the Curse Ritual Magicians and the Grand Wizards belong to the Father of Pillar Serpents’ path, it’s not like the Celestial Marshals can’t create professions.

It’s not like taking the power and position from Supreme Heaven, like the Crown Lord did.

Even if the Serpent Celestial Marshal replaces the Serpent Father, it has nothing to do with the Fallen Celestial Marshal.

Just like the Flame Celestial Marshal created “Blacksmiths,” the Blood Celestial Marshal created “Blood Maguses,” and the Spirit Amber Celestial Marshal created “Preservers.” Since the inception of “professions,” there have been active Celestial Marshals who have invested their essence and strength into them.

But listening to Akpolis, He seemed to have already determined that the Fallen Celestial Marshal would fall.

Moreover, He seemed to know that once the Fallen Celestial Marshal falls and the Serpent Celestial Marshal takes over—it is only under such circumstances that the third energy level Demon Scholar “temporarily not advancing to a Demon Incarnation” is the correct path.

Otherwise, He should think that the profession of “Demon Scholar” itself is a mistake.

…Is this the prophetic ability of the Path of Adaptation?

Even able to predict the death of Celestial Marshals from other paths…

Aiwass was secretly somewhat alarmed.

He glanced around surreptitiously and noticed “Olive” slightly frown, while “Counselor” seemed to be deep in thought.

The other six people seemed oblivious to the key information Akpolis had revealed.

“Hmph…”

Noticing the subtle movements of the three, the old man’s lips curved up slightly in a half-smirk, half-satisfied grunt, its meaning unclear.

He paused his staff, stopped speaking, and seemed to turn back into a statue.

The voice then resonated directly in the minds of the ascenders—

[The time limit for this ceremony is four days, with a twenty-four to one ratio to reality.]

[You will play a certain role in the field, complete your tasks, and each completed target will earn corresponding points.]

[Because this ceremony is a full moon ceremony, collaboration is allowed, but no extra collaboration points will be calculated.]

[When you cooperate with a rival path to complete their tasks, 50% to 100% of their points will be deducted based on your contribution during the final calculation; even if you help a rival path without knowing their identity, a deduction will still occur.]

[Once the necessary tasks are completed or when the ceremony time ends, the ceremony will immediately proceed with the settlement; the three with the lowest points will be eliminated.]

[In this ceremony, aside from the participants, all sentient beings do not possess complete intelligence but have part of a true soul; therefore, any action like killing, healing, sacrificing, etc., may trigger oaths, taboos, agreements, curses.]

[The difficulty of this ceremony is “close to real.” Dying in the ceremony may lead to real death; sustaining a permanent disability in the ceremony may cause real disability; certain death in the ceremony will definitely damage the soul.]

[All work in this ceremony, including the dreamscape, deductions, task assignments, scoring rules, etc., has been independently completed by the ‘Lord of Scalefeather’; I take full responsibility for the safety and fairness of this ascension ceremony.]

Upon hearing this, Aiwass suddenly paused.

…Independently in charge?

The whole ascension ceremony was done by the Lord of Scalefeather, and the presiding officer is the Chief Angel Envoy of the Lord of Scalefeather?

The old man with the serpent staff slowly turned around, surveying the ascendants.

His final gaze rested on Aiwass’s face.

He added, “Furthermore, let me mention, everything you see in this ceremony is fictional.

It would be best not to take anything you see here as an actual part of history…

or the future.

“—Now, the exam begins,”

He declared, pausing his staff.

A deep, leisurely voice recited the familiar words to Aiwass:

“In the year 1899, the Autumn of Cruelty incident declared the ruin of the Kingdom of Avalon…”