When the plot-skips players into the game world

David, for now, the only thing that might go wrong is the progression from the fourth to the fifth level.

Starting from the advancement from the third to the fourth Energy Level, if one were to fail or die, it could potentially cause damage to the soul. Accumulated damage would reduce the chances of successful advancement in the future. As for the consequences of failing to advance from the fourth to the fifth level, as of now, the least severe would be soul damage, with the worst being possible immediate death.

It is only after a full rotation of the cap raise for all nine Paths that the consequences for failing to advance from the fourth to the fifth and the fifth to the sixth levels will be reduced.

If Mr. "Knight" remains so naïve, he might also end up being unable to advance further due to too many accumulated failures.

Even if Aleister could take him once, twice... she cannot do it every single time.

When it comes to the choice of abandoning the Knight to win or saving the Knight and failing herself, Aiwass would definitely choose the former.

And as one rises in levels, the intensity of the advancement rituals will increase. The impact and suppressive force brought by the Shadow Demon's strength will also gradually diminish... not to mention, there are also scenarios in the advancement rituals that mainly revolve around decryption or strategy, not all of which can be solved by brute force.

At least not the scenarios written by the Great Sage. The elderly gentleman detests resolving issues with violence and battle; his scenarios are guaranteed to be the type that would level the playing field for everyone. If one were to randomly get his scenario, having a Shadow Demon would actually become a disadvantage for Aleister— because it makes it easier for others to band together to attack her.

In such a case, no matter how much Aiwass favors the Knight, he would be powerless to take another person with him for advancement. Not to mention, Lily would also be advancing with "Miss Aleister." Compared to the Knight, Lily is far more important to Aiwass.

Of course, if Mr. "Knight" can be trained properly, then it would mean that "Miss Aleister's" advancements would always come with two reliable teammates. In the New Moon Ritual, starting with two teammates offers an immense advantage... at least until everyone else becomes aware of it.

So if possible, Aiwass would still like to help and educate David properly.

"Mr. Aiwass," David finally couldn't hold back and spoke up, "Miss Aleister... what kind of person is she?"

—Here we go.

Aiwass thought to himself.

It's not that I fear your questions, but that I dread your silence.

After pondering for a moment, Aiwass replied, "I believe she is not a bad person. At most, one could say she has a strong desire for attention and possession, wanting others to pay more attention to her. Even if she uses people, I believe that as long as her heart is good, the outcome is good, and the consequences are controllable, the process can actually be overlooked."

What Aiwass said was actually about himself. But it also matched the characteristics of the Miss Assassin.

Now that the persona of "Aleister" is pretty much established, what Aiwass needs to do is backtrack and whitewash his own persona. Otherwise, playing the part too well could attract the attention of investigators.

Just like the "Phantom Thief" — if one were truly ruthless and a mass murderer, one might be met with snipers; but if it is merely a Phantom Thief who hasn't caused any real harm, then perhaps others would play along.

Aiwass certainly didn't want his main identity to be jeopardized by troubles attracted by his persona.

"So I don't think that you've been deceived by her. Because Aleister indeed possesses a showy charm that is the true allure of a Transcender."

Aiwass said gently.

Upon hearing this, David was taken aback, "How did you know..."

He quickly realized he misspoke, but Aiwass continued straightforwardly, "Because she told me your story — you met during a recent advancement ritual, right?"

"…Ah, yes."

David replied with complex emotions.

He was happy that Miss Aleister remembered him, yet saddened that Aiwass's relationship with her seemed much closer. However, his good upbringing told him that this was not the time to feel jealous — and so he felt all mixed up inside as these tangled emotions made his heart feel disorderly.

"My opinion is the same as hers."

Aiwass said warmly, "You wish to walk the Path of Transcendence, and I won't stop you. There's no wrong path among the nine Paths. Whichever you choose is your own decision, and you can forge your own way on it.

"But you should embark on this path only when you have sufficient understanding, not because you were tempted or befuddled by the words of others—an impulsive whim is not enduring, and the choice of a path and a career is irreversible; once you step onto it, there's no turning back."

Under the morning light, Aiwass's deep blue pupils sparkled brilliantly.

He sat in his wheelchair, speaking softly and gently, making David feel as though he was seeing a shadow of Miss Aleister in him.

"Let's see, common career choices on the Path of Transcendence include Curse Ritual Magician, which requires mastery of Demonology and Ritual Studies; a Demon Scholar controls Demonology and Ritual Studies; while a Demon must be possessed by a demon, unable to control even their own will and body. First, we'll rule out the Demon... Between the remaining two, do you wish to summon demons, or do you desire to curse others?"

Aiwass asked seriously, "Do you want to possess such mystical skills, or do you simply admire Miss Aleister and aspire to be like her?"

David was also listening seriously—he had this question as well and had been pondering it for a long time.

He shook his head, "I'm actually not interested in any of these... I simply yearn for the courage to shed all ties and challenge formidable foes."

[—Question one, do you have the courage to live in the face of death?]

[—Question two, are you prepared to challenge an unbeatable enemy?]

The frenzied voice of Aleister still echoed in David's heart.

"In that case, I have a method."

Aiwass stated bluntly, "In fact, on the Path of Transcendence, there are some professions that have been lost over time."

"Just as the core skill of the Path of Devotion is the Illumination Art, to ignite oneself to light the way for others, the most central skill of the Path of Authority includes Word Spirits, Binding, and Decree within the Leadership Art. The core of the Path of Transcendence is not demons, nor curses... but rituals."

"Rituals?"

David asked, puzzled, "Not demons?"

Aiwass smiled, "The Demon Scholar has emerged not long ago; were there no professionals on the Path of Transcendence before then?"

These words actually contained a bit of taboo—because only with a certain understanding of Demonology could one know that the profession of Demon Scholar was a recent creation. But precisely because of the persona of Aleister, it wouldn't be strange for Aiwass to say anything. People would rationalize it in their own minds, convince themselves on their own.

And indeed, what he said was true—

Demons, curses, contracts all stem from the power of other Celestial Marshals; the true power of the Serpent Father is "ritual."

"I actually know of a profession on the Path of Transcendence that has been lost for a long time; it suits you very well."

Aiwass said quietly, "But as it stands, you cannot yet take up the position."

"What is it?" David blurted out.

You boy...

Seeing David's undisguised and almost eager inquiry, Aiwass immediately understood—Aleister's words may have had an effect, but probably only a small one.

David's desire and admiration for the Path of Transcendence hadn't been suppressed; on the contrary, they had intensified.

So it was indeed correct for Aiwass to speak of this matter to David at this time...

"It's [Ascension Sorcerer]."

Aiwass answered half-truthfully, "It's a long-lost profession. Because it requires the applicant to possess a sufficiently strong body, it can only be a secondary profession to transition into." Explore new worlds at empire