Chapter 1243
The Memory Sealed by the Shepherd
Previously, Eivass had always believed that the transformation of the Waite Tarot into the Thoth Tarot was an inevitable occurrence when a Sin Scholar created an Illusion Card.
However, the current situation proved otherwise.
This might seem like a minor detail, but it actually concealed a significant problem.
In this World, there was no God named “Thoth,” and therefore, no lineage of “Thoth Tarot.”
It was important to remember that the Shepherd was also part of the Ouroboros Ring’s Snake Tail. In theory, there was no difference between them and Eivass. Their essence was the same, making Eivass the second Sin Scholar in the world.
“No wonder it was so smooth when I first created Great Sin Cards…”
Eivass murmured.
—He had finally solved a mystery that had eluded him, yet remained etched in his heart.
When Eivass had just “awakened his past life memories,” he had attempted to seal the power of the Shadow Demon by drawing an Illusion Card.
At that time, Eivass himself was unsure if the ritual would even succeed. Even if it did, he wouldn’t know why it worked.
This apprehension was justified.
Professionals gained Extraordinary Power by studying the knowledge of their corresponding Paths—a characteristic inherited from the “deposit” given by the Heavenly Envoys and Pillar Gods when they established the Professional System.
It was akin to D&D’s Weave system, which allowed people to cast spells more conveniently. It was also like a contract signed by apprentices, where they secured a position and gained power first, and then gradually adapted to the requirements of the Origin River and the Path through methods like “education,” directly becoming the talent needed by the corresponding Heavenly Envoys and Pillar Gods.
Only Inheritors could truly resonate with the Origin River and salvage unclaimed power from it.
The Sin Scholar profession emerged after the Fallen Heavenly Envoy was pulled down and killed by the Ouroboros Ring. It was a “future profession” developed through the unclaimed state of the “Great Sin” domain.
This meant that at the time Eivass had “transmigrated,” this profession had not been registered by the Ring Heavenly Envoy, nor could it have been. The Fallen Heavenly Envoy’s hatred for the Ring Heavenly Envoy was so intense at that time that the Ring Heavenly Envoy could not use the former’s power as collateral.
Logically, Eivass should not have been able to create any Illusion Cards.
Unless…
—At that time, Eivass did not use the power of a professional to draw the Illusion Card, but rather through the Inheritor system.
The power of an Inheritor originated from the creator of that lineage. The ancients, by resonating with the Path, gained a weak power far inferior to that of professionals with the same depth of resonance. They then slowly cultivated and engraved it onto the Path, which became “original skills,” and optimized it through minor adjustments.
If someone later resonated with the ancients at the same frequency, they would obtain corresponding abilities from the Origin River. If the resonance was deeper, the power would be greater; if the resonance weakened, the power would also weaken.
Now, Eivass finally understood…
The first Sin Scholar in the World was the Shepherd!
The ability to draw Illusion Cards originally belonged to the same lineage as the Art of Pasturing!
—This was precisely why Eivass had so easily resonated with the Shepherd’s Secret Manual back then!
Although the Shepherd’s Secret Manual was now lost, it had been secretly preserved for a long time. Yet, during this entire period, no one had truly mastered the Art of Pasturing. Even the Lord of Goodness in Heaven City was merely imitating the Shepherd’s actions in an attempt to replicate the Art of Pasturing. However, that behavior was more akin to “reverse-engineering after gaining inspiration” rather than receiving a true inheritance.
This was why their Art of Pasturing was so weak, yet they could control humans in the Material Realm, because it was not the proper Art of Pasturing at all.
The essence of the Art of Pasturing was closely related to the Art of Severing the Tail, and the memories transmitted to Eivass by the Ring Heavenly Envoy were also a form of the Art of Pasturing. The Ring Heavenly Envoy devouring its own Snake Tail was also part of the Art of Pasturing.
It was a Heavenly Envoy technique closely related to reincarnation and metamorphosis… which was why it was so powerful, capable of easily distorting the minds of Upper Demons.
Because it was a fragment of the Ring Heavenly Envoy itself!
For such a long time, many had coveted the Shepherd’s power but were unable to obtain it. This was because they lacked a crucial element—
—The Key!
The skill of mastering Illusion Cards was the key to unlocking all these secrets!
“—Mr. Eivass Moriarty… my dear little key.”
“—You can open that Gate to the Past.”
“—Perhaps you are truly innocent… little snake’s key.”
“—Without you, his insane plan will fall apart anyway!”
The words of his foster father and the Fallen Heavenly Envoy echoed in Eivass’s mind.
“No wonder…”
Eivass murmured softly.
This was why Eivass, despite knowing nothing and only being at the First Tier, could create an Illusion Card capable of sealing the Shadow Demon!
Because this knowledge had already become a ritual, engraved upon the World by the Shepherd!
Eivass becoming a Sin Scholar before the death of the Fallen Heavenly Envoy was likely also for this reason.
Therefore, the ability to transform Tarot Cards into Thoth Tarot did not belong to the Ring Heavenly Envoy, nor the Shepherd, nor any previous Snake Tail. It was a power possessed only by the unique individual “Eivass”!
Why did Eivass possess a unique trait that even the Ring Heavenly Envoy lacked and did not understand?
Unless…
The Ring Heavenly Envoy was not the main body.
From the very beginning—from Eivass’s birth—he had already become the true main body!
The Ring Heavenly Envoy who wanted to escape this World was the separated Snake Tail!
This was why Eivass was called a “Divine Entity” and possessed the “great mass” capable of stirring the tides of fate!
Because, in a sense, apart from his lost memories, he was the same as Arthur!
“Thoth Tarot… Eivass… Alistair…”
As he realized this, Eivass fell into a momentary trance.
A Key of Void seemed to turn gently in his consciousness space.
With a click, the sealed memories surged out like a tide—
These were not memories bestowed upon Eivass by the Ring Heavenly Envoy, but a part of “lost memories” unknown to both the Ring Heavenly Envoy and himself.
—These were the memories belonging to the Shepherd!
These were memories the original Ring Heavenly Envoy had given to the Shepherd, memories that could only be accessed under special circumstances.
And the Shepherd chose to seal them… the seal would only be removed when a Tarot Card came into contact with a Divine Entity and transformed back into the Thoth Tarot.
Eivass recalled the complete knowledge of the Thoth Tarot: it was a type of Tarot Card that only existed in a past life. It was invented by a mystic named “Alistair Crowley,” who claimed his knowledge came from an angel named “Eivass.” Later, he also created the Book of Law and the Book of Thoth.
The prayers used by the Ring Heavenly Envoy had also been adapted from parts of the Book of Law and the Book of Thoth.
These words themselves held no meaning; their sole purpose was that Eivass could not know the parts the Ring Heavenly Envoy did not utter.
He was testing whether Eivass had recovered his complete memories.
He was also testing whether the memories sealed by the Shepherd had leaked out!
Verifying whether the plan, prepared over ten reincarnations, was still on the right track!
(End of Chapter)
