Lord of the Mysteries

Inside a bar in Belltaine City.

Roy, Biles, Phil, and Pasha sat around a small round table, guzzling down Southville beer.

They didn’t talk much as they listened to the drunkards in the next table discussing supernatural powers and mysticism incidents.

“Before this, hic. I saw that, not only do the Feysacians look like bears, but they could also control fire, throwing them out like javelins!”

“No way… Supernatural powers actually exist?”

“Haha, that’s because you don’t know a thing. I was drunk one day and slept near the cemetery. I saw people from the Church of Evernight appear with a few ghosts out. Yes, ghosts! They floated in the air, and it was terrifying!”

…

It was unknown if the drunkards were sharing stories from personal experiences or from hearsay, but the way they described it was with so much agitation that saliva kept flying as their faces flushed red.

“That’s what they’re like. They only become more excited after drinking. They always like to brag and be dramatic despite usually being depressed.” Biles was a Belltaine local. Upon seeing this, he explained, “Ever since the coal mines began to run dry, young people gradually left Belltaine and headed for Constant and Backlund. The atmosphere here has become more and more oppressive, and the city is just declining by the day.”

This man, who was less than thirty years old, had also been a miner when he was young. He was lucky to survive in the mines, his skin was tanned from all the labor.

His exposed muscles weren’t too exaggerated, but it gave people the feeling that they were made of steel.

As the leader of the group, Roy smiled and said, “What they’re saying might be the truth. They’re not bragging. The previous war has indeed exposed supernatural powers to many people, especially the soldiers who were directly involved. As long as they’re still alive, they will have the corresponding experience.

“Besides, this also brings about many fortuitous encounters, making it so that people who had zero chance of interacting with supernatural powers or true mysticism to become Beyonders.”

The way he expressed himself was very subtle, as though he was talking about others, but in reality, this was exactly what the four of them had experienced.

Biles and Roy had participated in the defense of Belltaine City before. Phil had once been ransacked by the Feysacians, but he was lucky to not have died. Pasha and her former citizens had seduced and ambushed a few Intis soldiers in the harbor battle.

They had witnessed the deaths of many of their friends and obtained supernatural powers due to various reasons.

After that, due to the chaos brought about by the war, they either lost contact with their unit, or they avoided it on their own accord without the officials learning about it. Slowly, they got to know each other and became friends with each other due to their common experiences.

This time, they had come to Biles’s hometown in Belltaine to seek out any friends and family who might’ve survived.

“The reality of this world far exceeds our imaginations.” Pasha, who had long dark-blonde hair and deep-blue eyes, sighed.

She was only in her twenties, and she was quite good looking. However, her face was a little thin, accentuating the protrusion of her cheekbones. This made her look much older than her actual age.

“In the future, we will lead different lives.” Roy, who had the typical Loenese characteristics, raised his cup. “To a brand new future…”

Before he could finish speaking, someone in the bar suddenly screamed.

The experienced Roy and company quickly raised their vigilance and cast their gazes over.

They saw a young man dressed in ordinary clothes, lying on the ground, rolling back and forth as if he was in extreme pain.

the clothes on the young man’s back had been torn open, revealing blood-red streaks. It was

one around him held a whip. The victim had only let out one scream. This was only possible if he had been whipped countless times in an

if that were the case, how could no

something to do with the anomaly just now?” The thin Phil took several looks and said after some deliberation, “Shall I take

thought for a moment and

“Be careful.”

the help of the crowd, he approached the young man who was now whimpering

left hand. His

“Ah!”

his left wrist snap and land on the

splattered from the stump onto the faces and bodies of the people

saliva. Then, they turned around and ran frantically towards the door

nearly fainted from the pain, but he still forced

eyes narrowed as he decisively said, “Let’s get

then turned his head and said to Biles, “Pick up Phil’s hand and preserve it well. I remember that a military doctor I met before is also from Belltaine. After he got discharged from the

step, obtaining medical skills that surpassed reality. It was said that he could sew up a severed

Biles agreed

out a wooden box, picked up

she had

of four

they finally found Weber’s

closed for the day, and the light from the gas lamps inside spread

pulled at the doorbell again and again as he heard

a few minutes, no

Pasha looked at the

Roy shook his head.

drink. Other than being more amorous,

with a face full of weathered pockmarks pushed the door open and realized that it

opened, Roy, Biles, and the others

middle of the clinic. Due to the

Their lower bodies were naked and their eyes were protruding. Their mouths were half-open, and their tongues were squeezed out. They were hung on the ceiling by an invisible rope.

Roy recognized

and Biles, felt a chill run down their spines. They didn’t know why something like this had happened, nor did they know what kind of horrors such an unknown

Boom!

being knocked over sounded from the side, jolting

a lady carrying a baby standing up in a fluster. She

to do with their encounter? Roy took a deep breath. He felt that he shouldn’t

instructed,

comfort the lady, nor did he attempt

their saliva with great difficulty,

the unknown had completely suppressed the pain in his

asked as he turned into another

know?” Biles blurted out. He had seemed to lose control of his

around and

“Calm down.