Moth's Power

Arthur studied Arena, curiosity rising in his eyes.

His immediate superior's daughter—Grand Duke Stuart's daughter, one of the Old Continent's most distinguished nobles.

She had been afflicted by the Black Devil's Curse, yet she had not chosen to seek help from the Orthodox Church?

In his memories, the Stuart Family had been one of the rare families in the Tudor Dynasty with close ties to the Church of Night.

What was the Black Devil Order?

A notorious cult whose slogan was to offer everything to the devil and bring about the end of the world.

Arena suddenly found herself standing upon a vast expanse of land, with pitch-black skies all around her.

Raising her head slightly, she saw a towering presence looking down at her.

Its indistinct form was like black mist, blending into the surrounding environment.

The pain in her eyes made Arena lower her head. A great existence could not be looked upon directly.

Whether an Orthodox God or an evil god, both were great existences to her.

Arthur raised a hand slightly, activating the Moth Principle.

The Black Devil's Curse was stripped from her bit by bit, as though unraveling silk from a cocoon.

Just as a moth broke free from its cocoon and flew out, the Moth Principle possessed the power of "shedding."

Using that power, he drove away the curse's influence from Arena's body, leaving only the mark of the Black Devil's Curse behind.

After finishing this, Arthur fell into thought.

He recalled playing games in his previous life. The next steps should have been: establish a cult, develop followers, and proceed toward ascension.

Arthur needed to consider how to phrase it in a manner fitting his identity.

Great and mysterious.

At this moment, Arena was terrified. In the Orthodox Church's propaganda, every hidden existence was incomparably evil.

She did not know why this great existence had summoned her.

Gathering her courage, she said, "Great existence, Arena Stuart greets you."

"Thank you for your generosity in removing the Black Devil's Curse."

Arthur chuckled softly. Seeing Arena so nervous, he gradually relaxed.

"A simple matter."

His response made Arena take a deep breath.

The great existence had truly answered her. She was interacting with a hidden being at such close range.

This unforeseeable encounter might be a calamity, but it might be an opportunity even more so!

"May I ask how I should address you, great existence?"

Arena's question made Arthur fall into thought.

He decided to use the title from Cultist Simulator, while also settling on the name of his own cult.

"You may call me—"

"Mansus."

Mansus. The two syllables were etched into Arena's mind as she pondered the deep meaning they contained.

After rapidly searching through her knowledge, Arena became certain that this was a hidden existence never mentioned in ancient texts.

Not even its corresponding symbols had ever appeared on the Old Continent.

"Miss Arena, are you willing to walk the world in my stead?"

"In the name of [Hours], observe the world for me."

Arthur's question was simple, without any superfluous gestures. He seemed casual and natural.

Arena took a deep breath and bowed deeply.

"It would be my honor."

A storm raged in her heart. [Hours] sounded related to time. Could this hidden existence be connected to it?

Arthur tapped the long table. Darkness descended, and mist condensed into nine shapes corresponding to the nine great Principles.

Moth, Lantern, Forge, Edge, Winter, Heart, Grail, Knock, Secret Histories.

"Choose your codename, Miss Arena."

Arena swept her gaze over them before it landed on the moth icon. "I choose [Moth]."

"Very well, Miss Moth."

Arthur tapped the long table with his finger, and the moth icon descended before Arena.

The atmosphere temporarily froze.

He said in a low voice, "Miss Moth, it seems you bear some marks upon you."

After Arena chose [Moth Principle] and became his follower, Arthur gained another ability.

He could bestow Invisible Arts upon Miss Moth.

Invisible Arts were supernatural means rooted in the Principles and required rituals, costs, or other conditions.

Arena said quietly, "I made some transactions with the Black Devil Order in the past and was cursed by them."

The matter was certainly not as simple as she described, but Arthur had no intention of probing further.

His finger tapped the long table, and an Invisible Art flew forth from the [Moth Principle]—[Molting Technique].

Like a moth shedding its cocoon, the Molting Technique could free one from negative conditions.

Arena looked at [Molting Technique], her eyes shining. With such a secret art, she could escape the Black Devil Order's control.

"May I ask, Mr. Mansus, how should I use [Molting Technique]?"

The activation of the Molting Technique mentioned part of the Moth's power, leaving Arena somewhat confused.

Arthur closed his eyes and spoke after some thought.

"Prepare the ritual and beg me. I will grant you the Moth's power."

After a pause, Arthur added, "Walk the world in my stead, and you will gradually comprehend the Moth's power."

This was one way to use the Secret Sect Long Table.

He could pull people in through [Explore], and those pulled in would become followers.

Followers could gradually master the power of the Principles, while he himself could receive feedback and apply it in reality as well.

Arena let out a long breath.

The Black Devil Order's scheme to control her was about to fail.

He had already gained a great deal by preliminarily developing Arena into a follower.

Arthur felt quite satisfied. He had made full use of the [Explore] function.

"This conversation is over."

Arena came to her senses and hurriedly asked, "Mr. Mansus, how may I contact you and return here again?!"

After a moment of silence, she received a response.

"Good dreams are vessels that may carry you here."

Arthur used his authority to kick Arena out of the Secret Sect Long Table.

The scene before her changed. Arena rose from a woolen rug and removed her sweat-soaked battle robe.

At her abdomen, the black skull mark flickered in and out of sight.

"Black Devil Order, our cooperation is terminated unilaterally!"

Recalling the ritual in her mind, Arena immediately sent people to gather the materials. She needed to remove the mark as soon as possible.

The Secret Sect Long Table.

Arthur suddenly felt dizzy. His soul was drying up, unable to sustain what came next.

Leaving the Secret Sect Long Table, Arthur woke in the captain's cabin.

He reached out, trying to grasp the air, but the mysterious power had vanished. That towering power existed only within the Secret Sect Long Table.

However.

Arthur rose from his seat, power surging through his entire body, along with the power of [Moth].

The two most basic Invisible Arts: Whisper of the Moth and Molting Technique.

Whisper of the Moth referred to the buzzing of moth wings inside one's mind.

By consuming a portion of the Moth's power, one could project a voice into another person's mind.

If the power was sufficient, the voice would be very loud and might startle someone. It could have remarkable effects in battle.

Suddenly, Arthur looked at the Bronze Parrot on the table, the supernatural item that had killed the original owner.

He was going to Blue Bay Island to report for duty. Perhaps he could pass this supernatural item on to some unlucky fool.

"Oh! Great existence!"

"Parrot Gro sings your praises!"

"The sea cannot contain your grandeur, sunlight cannot rival your radiance, and even fog cannot conceal you!"

Arthur met the Bronze Parrot's gaze, and an idea suddenly arose in his mind.

What if he used a ritual to sacrifice the Bronze Parrot to the Secret Sect Long Table?

The Bronze Parrot statue trembled, then lowered its head beneath Arthur's gaze.