Shadow Slave: Divergence of Hereos

Chapter 28: Second one 

The next 4 days passed by relatively quickly for Klein.

He didn't really do any work inside of this new world, and since most of his immediate expenses were tended to, he decided it would be better to set plans for his following roles.

He became slightly more sociable slowly inside of his neighbourhood, and began to also visit performances and circuses nearby.

His potion was digesting relatively quickly, and it seems as if digesting potions for Awakened helped him to digest his potion quicker than normal.

The young sleeper he met from the first day had given him somewhat of a customer base from the awakened academy in SQSC.

He had done divination for 3 more Sleepers each regarding the future solstice.

And now, it was time for the Tarot club meeting.

As he sat on the seat of the Fool, Klein established his connection with 'The Emperor,' and 'The High Priestess.'

He also simultaneously conjured 'The World.'

"Good Morning, Mr. Fool." The High Priestess called out the second she entered the world above the grey fog.

Following that she greeted the remaining 2 members, all of whom nodded.

'She is like a replacement for Miss Justice…' Klein couldn't help but think slightly.

"I will be sending you 5 Dormant crystals as compensation, give me 2 more days to be able to collect them."

Klein could understand why it was hard for The Emperor to get his hands on those crystals. Afterall, he was a mundane human, why would he need them?

He would have to purchase them from the black market.

"Sure." The High Priestess said, as she nodded.

The Emperor paused for another moment, before looking towards The World and asked, "I wish for a way to gain strength without The Spell."

Klein had anticipated this.

Even though his control over the grey fog was low, he was able to use Arodes and with the formulas of the sequences he already had inside of his head, he could interchange them from items in this world.

So basically, he was in complete control of the Beyonder formulas in this world.

Yet he didn't know how to set the pricing for this…since it was a big cost.

And now, he would also have to explain the entire basics of being a Beyonder to The Emperor.

"You will become what is known as a Beyonder," The Fool suddenly spoke, his tone measured. 

"The essence of a Beyonder lies in their ability to tap into powers beyond the mortal realm, derived from potions that correspond to specific pathways. These pathways offer different abilities, strengths, and… dangers. One must fully digest these potions and their influences, or risk losing themselves."

The Fool paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.

The Emperor nodded slightly, clearly thinking it over. "And what would you ask in return for this knowledge?" His tone was calm, but sharp, always the negotiator.

"That is for you to decide with The World." The Fool casually mentioned.

Klein then thought about it for a moment, before deciding to throw a bit of information out to the duo.

He was able to check with Arrodes, and he knew since he himself was once a 'Pillar' that what he was about to say is the truth.

"Rejoice, Emperor." The World mentioned, "You will become something that only those selected by Mr Fool can become."

At this, The Emperor and he High Priestess knew the implications of Kleins words

Gaining power without the Spell, was only something 'He' can accomplish.

The Fool observed the two figures before him in the world above the grey fog—The Emperor and The High Priestess. 

Both were adjusting to the weight of the revelations he had shared. 

Finally, after a long pause, The Emperor broke the silence.

"Praise the Fool," he said, his voice steady, though there was a slight shift in his tone—more reverent, more respectful than it had been before. 

A rare crack in his usual unflappable demeanour.

Klein, sitting as The Fool, casually waved his hand, as if the words meant little to him. "No need for formalities," he said, his voice calm and unbothered.

With the pleasantries out of the way, The World leaned forward slightly, his deep voice cutting through the silence. "The Fool has opened the door for you,but you must not be arrogant. The power of a Beyonder is intoxicating—some are consumed by it, others thrive. You must master the potion and digest it fully. Otherwise, the power will control you."

The Emperor's brows furrowed, a shadow of concern passing over his face. "What do you mean by 'control'?" he asked, his usual sharpness replaced with a cautious tone.

The World paused for a moment, before leaning back and then asking, "First, let's negotiate the price for all this information I am about to give you."

The Emperor also leaned back with a confident posture as he spoke, "Well what is it that you require?"

"Mr. Fool, I would like a private conversation with The Emperor." The World requested, to which a wall of spirituality blocked out The High Priestess from this conversation.

"We will be doing this trade in segments." The World mentioned to which The Emperor nodded.

"First of all, the way you will become a Beyonder is by consuming Beyonder Potions. The potions go from Sequence 9 to lower in the numbers." The World explained to which The Emperor nodded.

"The Sequence potions will require different materials of nightmare creatures and a specific concoction method. Something which I will provide for you."

The Emperor then asked, "What is it you require in exchange for a 'Potion' formula.'"

"10,000 Credits…and some ingredients which I will mention later." The World spoke in a calm tone. 

Klein knew that he was in a massive position of advantage here. He was the only person in the entire world that knew of the Beyonder formulas, so he could dictate the market as he wished.

And this was the price of just a Sequence 9 potion. When The Emperor inevitably digests this potion and requests the next potion formula, Klein would be able to charge another ridiculous amount.

Klein didn't even have a problem about the bank account in which The Emperor would be transferring the funds. 

Sure, when he withdrew the money, the Emperor would know that Klein was in the Southern Continent, but Klein knew he would inevitably become a Faceless and combat this problem.

"Done." The Emperor said calmly.

"Now, in general, there are 22 Pathways in which a Beyonder can choose. Choosing one wisely is a must." The World explained.

Just then, The Fool who was seated at the highest seat tapped his fingers in a rhythmic way gaining the attention of The Emperor.

"What is it, Mr Fool." The Emperor asked in a calculated manner.

"Explaining the 22 Pathways of the Divine is useless to Mr Emperor. I believe you already have the perfect formula for him." The Fool stated.

He paused for a moment, before speaking again.

"Sequence 9- Lawyer."

The Emperor wasn't really surprised that The Fool knew of his identity in the real world. After all, how else was this existence able to bring him into this mysterious world.

Yet he was a bit surprised at how fitting the name of his future power was…'Lawyer.'

...

Authors note:

Unfortunately this isn't a continuation of the fanfic. I simply had a couple of spare chapters I wanted to upload.

I am currently trying a new project, which is basically my own novel but I will be uploading it as a fanfic since honestly I write mainly for interaction with people.

I write to share ideas and run through scenarios with people, so I hope you will try my new project out.

It is called "Eternal Heir."

Do not subscribe to patreon for this fanfic anymore thanks.