Chapter 23: Resurrection, Authority, and the Weaving of Taboos!

Examining every detail of the Grand Boss Evil Spirit Wizard’s stat panel with meticulous care, Zorn knew that if he were to delve deep enough, he could write a thesis on the hidden attributes and characteristics concealed within each line of text. After all, when the players originally studied the Grand Boss Evil Spirit Wizard, it was truly akin to academic research; they would churn out several analysis posts a day, never repeating a point. As a recognized world-class boss, its foundation and power were beyond doubt.

While marveling at the panel, Zorn gained many new insights. One of these was that the Evil Spirit Wizard in his hands was not a "battle-damaged version," but the true "complete version." As his thoughts drifted, his gaze settled on his [Talents]: the SSS-ranked [Lingering Resurrection] and [Evil Spirit Authority]. These were the most terrifying and prideful aspects of the Evil Spirit Wizard, Zorn Corrick.

[Lingering Resurrection] was an extremely rare means of revival. Within the Grand Boss Evil Spirit Wizard’s Divine Kingdom dungeon, "The Requiem of the Evil Spirit," he possessed three chances to resurrect, meaning players had to defeat him four times to officially complete the kill. Even if they hadn't reached the Requiem yet, if players were lucky enough to kill an underdeveloped "Evil Spirit Wizard" in earlier chapters, he would use [Lingering Resurrection] to escape and revive, accumulating more charges of [Lingering Resurrection] through slaughter. The battle-damaged version of the Evil Spirit Wizard had only three lives, but the [Lingering Resurrection] in Zorn’s hands had five. According to firsthand data from the [Players], five lives were the hallmark of the authentic "complete version."

Compared to the survival-oriented [Lingering Resurrection], it was the [Evil Spirit Authority] that truly threatened the world and filled many factions with dread.

[Evil Spirit Authority (SSS-Rank): You can grasp the root of spirituality and reshape it.]

In plain terms, Zorn Corrick could passively influence the spiritual roots and willpower of those around him, turning them into loyal believers. Actively wielding this power allowed him to alter the soul and will of others, transforming them directly into his devoted followers. These followers, in turn, provided the Evil Spirit Wizard with a continuous stream of excess spirituality. A walking source of pollution, a naturally born saint of proselytization, a terrifying demon that feeds on spirituality—this was the Grand Boss Evil Spirit Wizard, Zorn Corrick, the very core coveted by the Esoteric Sect and feared by the Church.

As Zorn ventured deeper into the sewers, the "squeaking" of gray rats echoed constantly. Thanks to the influence of the Blood Moon, most of the gray rats were in a state of mutation. Feeling the bizarre and grotesque power permeating the air, Zorn was thoughtful.

"The Blood Moon will be the catalyst for the rat plague. Soon... Ogran City will face a horrific infestation."

At this moment, Zorn was undoubtedly the beneficiary of this rat disaster. He continuously absorbed the life force and spirituality of the mutated gray rats surging from the darkness. In particular, the "Elite Mutated Gray Rats"—which had grown to the size of small dogs due to spiritual distortion and madness caused by absorbing evil power—provided Zorn with a significant sense of satiety. For humans or transcendent beings, the spirituality of creatures in such a state of distortion and madness was highly corrosive and had to be eradicated. Otherwise, it would cause spiritual pollution and damage.

But for the [Evil Spirit Wizard], who was part of an indescribable evil god and possessed a complete sequence profile, he was the master of disaster and death itself. He fed upon this, and he relished it.

After devouring over a hundred mutated gray rats and more than a dozen elite ones, Zorn finally felt a certain level of fullness. Just then, he sensed mysterious power surging and gestating deep in the darkness. Listening closely, he could even hear faint, ethereal whispers. Narrowing his eyes as he surveyed the gloom, Zorn’s pupils contracted slightly.

"Is the Forbidden Blood Source Cult constructing a bloody ritual? Or is there another purpose?"

Regardless of what it was, Zorn had no intention of investigating. He had only just inherited the [Evil Spirit Wizard] legacy and had no desire to provoke those madmen of the Forbidden Blood Source. Most importantly, he wasn't strong enough to challenge them yet. To develop steadily, one had to move with caution.

Retracing his steps, Zorn retreated silently. Before long, he encountered seven or eight mutated gray rats, led by an elite. Under its guidance, the mutated gray rats seemed to be advancing in a squad formation.

"Squeak..."

Upon seeing Zorn, the leading elite mutated gray rat locked its blood-red eyes onto him, emitting a piercing squeak. Instantly, the rats behind it assumed a combat stance.

"Has a Rat King been born?" Zorn raised an eyebrow.

Having obtained the [Evil Spirit Wizard] sequence, he was no longer limited by the meager combat means of the former [Star-Mark Pugilist]. He pinched his right middle finger and pulled; the entire finger detached straight from the root. As it hit the ground, the finger twisted and writhed, growing visibly in size. Moments later, a "Forbidden Double-Ring Exotic Snake" with two heads was born before Zorn. Its body was covered in silver scales, shimmering with a cold, ghostly light, and its silver pupils were icy and ruthless. It was as thick as Zorn’s arm and a full six feet long.

"Hiss..."

It flicked its tongue, staring at the rat prey, and slithered forward, exuding overwhelming pressure. Normally, transcendent beings could only access the shallow powers of forbidden sealed objects. As an [Evil Spirit Wizard] with the "Forbidden Weaving" ability, Zorn could delve deeper into the forbidden characteristics of these terrifying artifacts. [Forbidden Weaving] was both an amplifier and a restraint for such items.

Zorn had been feeding the "Ring of Two Serpents" for some time, and he used his "Forbidden Weaving" to unleash its true, terrifying power. Facing such a formidable and highly active artifact, the mutated rat squad’s attacks couldn't leave a single scratch on the "Forbidden Double-Ring Exotic Snake." The snake simply snapped up a gray rat and swallowed it whole.

After wiping out the entire squad, the Forbidden Double-Ring Exotic Snake circled Zorn twice before leading the way. Not until Zorn reached the sewer exit did the snake slither back onto him, fusing into his hand as his middle finger once more.

Zorn did not emerge immediately, instead bathing in the quiet darkness of the sewer. After a long while, he opened his eyes; his brown pupils seemed deeper than the darkness itself.

"Even after using the power of Forbidden Weaving, my Evil Wizard spirit has suffered no loss at all. From the moment of inheritance to the entire process of devouring and absorbing in the sewers, there hasn't been a single leak of spiritual essence."

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, feeling a sense of relief.

"This is the manifestation of a perfect sequence loop."

He had come underground to hunt the mutated rats for two reasons: to satisfy his hungry soul, and to perform a small experiment to verify his theory. The results were highly satisfying. The "Zorn Corrick" of the original timeline had an incomplete sequence, which caused his Evil Wizard spirituality to leak constantly. He had to kill incessantly just to replenish the loss and increase his level and strength. At the same time, that leaking spiritual essence was itself a source of pollution.

After the old butler, Glank, was polluted, he had used a dagger to tear open the chest of the young, naive Zorn Corrick on an unguarded night, rummaging through it with a twisted, hideous expression. The betrayal of his closest person brought Zorn Corrick his first painful, unforgettable death, causing his tender heart to begin to distort and darken in silence. He used [Lingering Resurrection] to return, then took the very dagger Glank had used to rip him open and severed the butler's head. As he buried Glank, he also buried his last remnants of friendship and trust.

Since then, he had trusted no one. Even when he later learned it was caused by his own leaking spiritual essence, Zorn Corrick, having experienced too much betrayal, slaughter, and death, did not choose to forgive himself. He hated himself, and he hated this world. He swore to bury this world filled with pain with his own hands.

"You must control the sequence, not be controlled by it."

The consensus of the legendary [Players] surfaced in the depths of Zorn's soul. As a complete [Evil Spirit Wizard] sequence, it was far more "orderly," making the difficulty of control significantly lower.

"The time... is almost right."

Pushing open the manhole cover, he reached out his hand, grasping the blood-red moonlight that flowed like water.

"It is time to see the games and struggles of those people within the intertwined threads of fate. And, while I'm at it, it’s time to summon my own guardian."

Zorn headed toward his manor villa.