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*****
"Even if Mr. Door advances to a True God, he will be no match for me."
George noted the Evernight Goddess's hesitation and gave a brief recount of his previous encounter in the Forsaken Land of the Gods.
"By the way, I'll need you to conceal me afterward. Once my advancement is successful, I can help you retrieve the waters of the River of Eternal Darkness."
The River of Eternal Darkness was the Sefirah corresponding to the Evernight, Death, and Twilight Giant pathways. Originally sealed in the Western Continent by the Celestial Worthy, a tributary had somehow extended outward during the Second Epoch. In the Fourth Epoch, the Death Consul had used this tributary to indirectly harness a portion of its power. He had attempted to forcibly accommodate the Red Priest Uniqueness, hoping to carve out a new path to Great Old One status. Instead, he lost his mind and was besieged and killed by the Seven Deities.
Only a Sefirah could resist another Sefirah. Both the Evernight Goddess and the God of Combat coveted the power of this tributary, yet neither dared touch it for fear of corruption. George, however, possessed a complete Sefirah. If he ascended to godhood, he would undoubtedly be able to assist the Goddess in claiming that power.
Upon hearing George's promise, the Evernight Goddess no longer wavered and gave her consent. If George could repel the True Creator at Sequence 3, then at Sequence 1, dealing with Mr. Door should be well within his capabilities.
After finalizing the details, George exited the Divine Kingdom and arrived in the outskirts of Backlund. The Goddess's realm was currently under the watchful eye of the God of Combat; any significant disturbance there would surely invite suspicion.
"Five Elements Kabbalah Sealing Array!"
Five powerful elemental beings took their positions according to the Bagua formation, rapidly manifesting a formidable barrier. This was to prevent Mr. Door from escaping should the tide turn, and to mask the fluctuations of a divine ritual from the eyes of other orthodox and evil gods. Not that George believed Mr. Door would have any chance to run.
"Concealment!"
Simultaneously, George applied the authority of Concealment to the barrier. As an Attendant of Mysteries, he already wielded a portion of this authority. While not as specialized as the Evernight pathway, George's inherent strength made the effect just as potent.
"Yunxiao!"
"Qiongxiao!"
"Bixiao!"
Despite the preparations, he did not release Mr. Door immediately. Instead, he began repeatedly summoning the historical projections of the Three Fairies of the Clouds. Having reached Sequence 1, his success rate for these summons had drastically increased, and their projected power was significantly bolstered. Since this wasn't an ambush, he could afford to have them fully manifest before releasing the prisoner. Perhaps he wouldn't even need to lift a finger; the sisters could settle the matter themselves.
"Now it's solid."
Looking at the three figures holding the Mixed-Element Golden Basin and the Golden Dragon Scissors, George felt confident. Even if the Mother Tree of Desire was lurking behind Mr. Door, the Three Fairies were enough to handle the situation.
He produced the Beyonder characteristic of a Sequence 4 Bizarro Sorcerer and arranged the altar and ritual exactly as Mr. Door had instructed. In his heart, he murmured:
"Amanises, lift the seal."
Under normal circumstances, Mr. Door would require the Beyonder characteristics of demigods from three different pathways to break the combined seal of the Evernight Goddess and the Lord of Storms. George only provided the one he had, which shouldn't have been enough. However, with the Goddess voluntarily withdrawing her influence, the seal's power plummeted. Mr. Door, utilizing the Bizarro Sorcerer characteristic, only had to contend with the Storm Lord's remaining grip—a much easier feat.
The sacrifice was merely a tether to ensure Mr. Door's descent occurred exactly within George's prepared trap. Once the target was dealt with, the characteristic could simply be recovered.
"The Great Gate of All Gates;
The Guide of the Endless Starry Sky;
The Key to All Mysterious Worlds.
The altar is ready, so hurry up and get down here..."
George recited the modified summoning charm in Jotun. The first three lines were Mr. Door's honorific name—as long as those were correct, the entity would sense it. As for the rest, he could say whatever he pleased.
As the words fell, the Bizarro Sorcerer characteristic on the altar slowly rose into the air. Under an invisible force, it began to trace out wicked, filthy symbols one after another. Countless sigils merged, gradually forming a writhing gate of flesh and blood over five meters high.
George peered into the darkness within the gate, a faint smile touching his lips. He could feel Mr. Door's presence; the entity was struggling violently against the Storm Lord's seal, desperate to step through this fleshy portal.
At that moment, the candle flames on the altar surged upward, illuminating the grotesque gate and the void within. Out of the darkness, two massive arms reached out, gripping the sides of the Flesh Gate as they strained to pull a body through. The surrounding space began to tremble under the sheer weight of Mr. Door's power.
With a wave of his hand, George used the power of the Five Elements Kabbalah to instantly stabilize the space.
"Go, Old Men! You can do it!
Go, Old Men! Add oil!
Go, Old Men! Keep pushing!"
Watching Mr. Door struggle to break free, George stood to the side, clapping his hands and cheering him on. This scene caused the Evernight Goddess, observing from her Divine Kingdom, to twitch her lips. What should have been a terrifying, eldritch spectacle had become absurdly comical under George's encouragement.
"Agh!"
Clad in a blood-colored robe, Mr. Door let out a roar of fury and finally stepped out of the portal. The gate of flesh collapsed instantly, draping over his body like a shroud.
The ritual for the Door pathway's apotheosis involves escaping from the seal or exile of a True God. The moment Bethel Abraham stepped fully through the gate, his advancement began. Countless doors appeared within his body, overlapping and shifting, while every door in the physical world swung open and every seal momentarily failed.
"This is... Bethel Abraham is ascending to godhood!"
In that instant, every True God and high-sequence powerhouse familiar with Mr. Door's history realized he had returned. However, no matter how they searched or divined, they could not pinpoint his location. Without a location, they were powerless to stop the advancement.
"It seems you need to find another opportunity for your own ascension."
Deep within the Spirit World, Adam slowly opened his eyes and sighed at the anxious Amon. Even the one most skilled at finding and manipulating people could not find where Mr. Door was hidden.
"Ever since that Angel calling himself 'The Fool' appeared, and since the Church of the Fool was established, all my plans have been thrown into chaos," Amon muttered. "Mr. Door's return and advancement are likely connected to that 'Angel of the Fool' again. You should be careful. I suspect his next target might be you."
(End of Chapter)