No. 2 Cork Street, Spirit dium Parlor.
On the tall candelabra, candles as thick as a small arm bathed the entire room in a soft glow, illuminating three props on the tabletop.
An iron ring set with an erald.
A palm-sized puppet.
A fist-sized war drum.
[Na: Paralysis Ring]
[Type: Accessory]
[Quality: Mystic]
[Attributes: Paralysis]
[Remarks: Once dazzling in the Silver Age, the gentleman thief Carn had to retire due to alopecia and the failing of his "Lockpicking Technique." But the thief did not lose heart; he began to study Alchemy as a new path. Relying on his extraordinary talent and clever wit, Carn soon reaped success, and this ring was the first piece he acknowledged. Engraved on the inside of the band are the words "My Career, Never-Ending."]
...
[Paralysis: When you touch any creature with a finger wearing this ring, creatures with a Physique of less than 3 will enter a state of paralysis for 1 second. When the Physique exceeds 3, the paralyzing effect starts to diminish; it is immune when the target's Physique reaches 5. When you attack with a weapon held in the palm wearing this ring, creatures with a Physique of less than 2 will enter a state of paralysis for 0.5 seconds. When the Physique exceeds 2, the paralyzing effect starts to diminish; it is immune when the target's Physique reaches 3; 2 tis/day.]
...
This was the iron ring embedded with erald.
Arthur naturally slid it onto his right pinky—normal humans have five fingers on each hand, but only the index finger and pinky are safe zones where mystical props can be worn within a reasonable range without worry. However, if worn in other positions, there is a risk of "loss of control over Spirituality."
Of course, this is not absolute.
Ample safe Spirituality can resolve this issue very well.
At Oakwood Manor, "Detective" Alberts had shown Arthur the sight of his left hand adorned with four rings.
Arthur was curious why only the index and pinky were safe zones, but he did not probe further.
He was well aware that he needed to maintain his identity as a "Spirit dium."
He had this self-awareness right now, just like at that mont.
After putting on the [Paralysis Ring], Arthur's gaze shifted to the remaining two props, which intrigued him imnsely—
[Na: Exquisite Human Puppet]
[Type: Other Items]
[Quality: Hero]
[Attributes: 1. Body of the Human Puppet; 2. Mimicry; 3. Exquisite; 4. Transfiguration]
[Remarks: In the midst of the Holy Era, the "Shadows" had vanished without a trace, but wars still raged, escalating further. In the remote northwest of the Empire, in "Imur Town," a group of rebels was gathering, intent on starting a wave of resistance. However, news of their eting was leaked, and the Empire's Knights incinerated all the rebels, reducing Imur Town to ruins. Only one survivor, "Robin," escaped, inheriting the rebels' ideals and knowledge. While learning, Robin also sparked revolutions in the north of the Empire ti and again, each ti ending in failure. Faced with the mighty Holy Empire, her actions were akin to a mantis blocking a chariot. Countless traitors and inforrs made her struggle, but she never gave up. Instead, she began learning more knowledge, and from Alchemy, she found a new path: the Human Puppet. She started to create Human Puppets obsessively, convinced that they would eventually overturn the Holy Empire—this was one such creation, part of the assassins' squad, not the worst nor the best, but sufficiently exquisite.]
...
[Body of the Human Puppet: A puppet with a body made of a special plant, infused with unknown blood and branded with secret techniques, capable of understanding rather complex commands. It has a physique stronger than ordinary people, rich in power as well as agility and balance, and it has exceptional endurance. It can effortlessly perform incredible actions and possesses basic skills in swordsmanship, archery, horsemanship, as well as simple manipulation of mist and the ability to conceal within shadows. It also knows how to use weapons, equipnt, and Mystic Tools.]
[Mimicry: You can make the Human Puppet mimic any person, but it requires you to have seen the person's face and heard their voice.]
[Exquisite: More intricately made, the Human Puppet can mimic expressions, manners, and even temperant to perfection during impersonation.]
[Transfiguration: The exquisite Human Puppet can further simply transform its facial features, body, and clothing while in the impersonated state, but cannot use this feature during the dayti.]
(Note 1: Once a mimicry target is chosen, the decided form cannot be changed, but it can still switch back to the Form of the Human Puppet.)
(Note 2: The Human Puppet can be repaired with gold when damaged.)
(Remark 3: When the body of the Human Puppet sustains damage exceeding seventy percent, it is considered a fatal injury. It will shatter directly and cannot be repaired.)
(Remark 4: You can borrow the vision and hearing of the Human Puppet or directly manipulate it, but you cannot bestow abilities upon the Human Puppet.)
(Remark 5: In the face of your commands, the Human Puppet will obey unconditionally.)
…
[Exquisite Human Puppet]!
This was one of the props that Arthur valued.
It was also a crucial part of the plan he had in mind.
The other prop, complenting it, was—
[Na: Emperor's Drum. Pseudo]
[Type: Other Items]
[Quality: Hero]
[Attributes: Sound of Terror. Pseudo (2/5)]
[Remarks: It is universally acknowledged that the decline of the Empire was caused by the 'Tyrant' Nero, who lived his life amongst luxury, strife, slaughter, and parricide. However, during the era Nero lived, everyone was under the shadow of his terror. When he chose suicide, his flesh and blood were taken by the 'Shadows' and forged into a war drum. Every ti it was beaten, it would plunge the people of the Empire into fear—this drum was a replica created by the wizards of the Tower of Mist! Rember: It is but a replica, falsely impressive, initially a playful creation of the wizards from the Tower of Mist!]
…
[Sound of Terror. Pseudo: Driven by your own heartbeat, it induces emotions of fear such as hesitation, reluctance, panic, and collapse within all living things within a radius of 100 ters with you as the center point. However, they will not sustain actual harm. Those with 'Spirituality' will have a certain resistance to the Sound of Terror. If the user of the Emperor's Drum. Pseudo harbors any hesitation or reluctance, the Sound of Terror. Pseudo will lose its effect.]
(Remark: Even creatures that cannot hear will still be affected by the Sound of Terror. Pseudo.)
…
When Arthur saw the [Emperor's Drum. Pseudo], he knew how to utilize this prop.
To further prove the [Black Cat Faction]!
And...
Arthur gave the [Emperor's Drum. Pseudo][Sound of Advancent] to Fujin and the [Exquisite Human Puppet] to Wuni, and the two crows took off into the sky.
Tonight, things had not co to an end.
No. 2 Cork Street was quiet now.
But on the tree-lined path there, it had not even begun.
With the eyes of the two crows, Arthur scrutinized every detail of the tree-lined path.
As the midnight bells began to toll in Elta Square, a carriage slowly approached the tree-lined path from Garden Street.
The two crows imdiately swept silently across the night sky.
A palm-sized puppet was tossed onto the lawn of a residential house on Garden Street.
The next mont, the puppet began to expand. In the span of a breath, 'Auburn' appeared there, picked up the [Emperor's Drum. Pseudo], and with an arm raised, a Transfigured cloak draped over his form,
Under the night cloak, the bell continued to echo.
Those eyes began to glow with a faint red light, and his voice seed to be filled with endless coldness—
"Blood flows, slaughter never ceases!"
"Listen, to the extinction, the Silence of death!"
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