Chapter Twenty-Two: Elements, Chiming, Ignition, Impetus, Anthem

"Induct now?"

Hearing the doctor's words, Shale suddenly felt nervous. He had not expected such a direct approach.

"Right... here?"

"Of course. Is there a problem with a doctor's clinic? Besides, isn't the 72-hour deadline almost up?"

Miss Louisa, the blonde novelist, looked puzzled, but Dr. Schneider understood what Shale meant.

"Naturally, it is here. Oh, Shale, let me emphasize one point again. Remember, we are correspondence Ring-術士. Saint Byrons Comprehensive Academy and us do not actually share any special emotional bond; there is only responsibility and obligation, do you understand? As for helping you, it is because I need a fifth Ring-術士 in our group, and the Academy provides rewards for introducing new students. It is not because I am a kind-hearted person."

The doctor looked at Shale very seriously, his blue eyes holding a warning. "You have no common sense regarding this world, so I give you this most important warning: do not easily trust others."

"He is actually a good person, but he is always so strict," the lady at his side said, shaking her head.

Shale nodded cautiously, though he agreed with the novelist's assessment. Dr. Schneider was a decent man... at least for now.

"Louisa, for the following process, you only need to observe to prevent any unforeseen accidents. Please do not speak."

"No problem. We have already gone through these steps twice. Wasn't it the same when Annet and August were inducted?" the novelist said, signaling Shale to listen carefully.

"For a gifted individual to awaken their Life Ring, they must first come into contact with the four elements. This is very difficult for an ordinary person who knows nothing. Now is the Sixth Epoch, not the dark and chaotic Fourth Epoch, nor the Fifth Epoch ruled by the Witch Empresses. In this era where the extraordinary is hidden, steam and machinery are the themes; there is not so much mystery here. Even if one knows of the existence of mystery, it is difficult to come into contact with it. Moreover, the danger of encountering the mystery is something an ordinary person cannot even imagine."

The doctor held up four fingers. "So, Shale, how many of the four elements have you come into contact with so far?"

"Only 'Profanity,' related to the Evil God, is missing."

Shale spoke the truth, and Dr. Schneider did not ask further. "Look at my Life Ring."

Three silver runes flashed simultaneously. Shale interpreted their meanings as [Rage], [Sludge of the Heart], and [Malice].

[You have come into contact with 'Profanity'.]

Following this sentence, a whispering voice recited another passage:

[Sixth Epoch, General Calendar 1853, Summer, Day of the Silver Moon's Dim Glow, you have come into contact with all four elements. Outlander, the Gate of the Extraordinary is about to open, and the Path of Sublimation lies ahead.]

"Did the 'other you' provide a prompt?" The doctor let his Life Ring dissipate into the steam and asked.

"Yes, it gave me a prompt, telling me I have come into contact with all the elements and the Gate of the Extraordinary is about to open."

The doctor nodded with satisfaction. "The 'other me' is the core of the Ring-術士 system. It is the reverse side of your soul; it is you, yet it is not you. It shares knowledge and memories with you, but it can feel and see more. Therefore, it acts as a bridge between the Ring-術士 and the world, preventing us from coming into direct contact with knowledge and information that would pollute the soul. Now, I will repeat this once more, and I hope you will remember it well."

"In other words, the 'other me' cannot know knowledge that I am unaware of?" Shale felt a stir in his heart and asked this question.

The doctor nodded affirmatively. Shale blinked; he had long guessed that his "other me" was definitely not normal.

"It is actually you, but you don't know it. It is the same gender as you, so in my mind, it is a man's voice, while in Louisa's mind, it is a woman's voice..."

The lady at his side nodded in confirmation.

"It shares your memories, but it does not need sleep, so perhaps it knows more about the nights than you do. But in essence, you and the other you simply have different ways of thinking and fields of vision. That is why you sometimes hear inexplicable words; it can see more from the ordinary world."

The doctor continued, and Shale blinked again. In his heart, the woman's soft chuckle felt as if it were nourishing his soul, driving away the last lingering influence brought by the Poet-level relic.

"Who exactly are you?" he asked in his heart.

[Outlander, at least for now, I am you.]

"Collecting elements" is only the first step. Afterward, four more steps are required: "Bell-Ringing," "Ignition," "Propulsion," and "Hymn." These complete five steps are the most orthodox process for Ring-術士 awakening, used by both the churches of the True Gods and the three major academies.

"Bell-Ringing" refers to shaking the soul to initiate its first sublimation. This sounds complex, but it is actually just drinking a potion. The three major academies and the five churches of the True Gods have different formulas for the "Bell-Ringing Potion." The doctor said the potion from the Sakes Higher Medical Academy is said to taste the best—orange-flavored and very sweet—while the potion from the Church of Nature and Evil Thoughts, under the True God [Lord of All Things], is the worst, tasting somewhat like chewing dry tree bark.

The Academy delivered the "Bell-Ringing Potion" directly via manuscript—a conical glass bottle containing purple, bubbling liquid. It felt cold to the touch but was warm when drunk. Shale, however, felt he hadn't tasted anything at all.

"Look behind you," the doctor reminded.

Shale swallowed the last drop, wiped the corner of his mouth, set the bottle down, and turned around. A layer of white mist had risen behind him, and he could faintly hear the sound of a bell, though it was not clear. He did indeed feel the so-called vibration of his soul, but that could also have been a hallucination of his stomach caused by drinking too quickly.

"Ignition" refers to igniting the four collected elements, causing the initial spark of the soul to catch fire. This step only requires the assistance of a Ring-術士 of the third ring or higher and some techniques. The doctor pressed his right index finger to the center of Shale's forehead. As some cold air currents slowly entered Shale's body, the bell chimes in his ears became clearer. He turned his head; the thick white mist behind him took on a scorching temperature, and the steam grew profound, as if containing infinite possibilities.

"Propulsion" refers to allowing the soul to drive that weak, ignited spark, enabling the Ring-術士 to perceive spirit and possess the ability to manipulate the four elements. Specifically, this required Shale to feel power, to feel the idealistic power of the mind influencing matter.

Thus, Dr. Schneider brought over a book without a cover. "For a Ring-術士, there are many ways to come into contact with the four elements. However, the method of inscribing [Spirit Runes] into one's Life Ring does not encourage contacting gods, mysteries, or horrors. While that can work, it is quite dangerous. The orthodox training method is reading books, reading stories of the past; other methods can be considered a matter of luck."

"Reading books?" This reminded Shale again that the extraordinary organization he had joined was a school.

"Yes. Churches, academies, and a few Ring-術士 organizations possess special books that record quite dangerous knowledge and stories of past eras. Those books were copied by hand and translated from dangerous ancient languages into contemporary ones, which weakens their power. Therefore, reading those forbidden books—either the originals or those only copied or translated once—is the best way for a Ring-術士 to inscribe Spirit Runes. And for you, this one is enough to let you feel your own power."

He handed the book to Shale. "This is a hand-copied manuscript of the first volume of the 'Book of Fire-Worship,' and it is at least six iterations away from the original. It is the least dangerous book in my possession; there is no way to obtain a Spirit Rune by reading this. Spend half an hour reading it through completely, and if there are words you don't understand, you can ask me."

So Shale spent another half hour reading, equating the advancement of his extraordinary path with studying. He had to maintain his current persona, so he could only pick a few words to ask about every so often. During this time, the doctor and the novelist remained quiet, knowing this was an important moment for Shale.

"Finished? What are your thoughts?" the doctor asked.

"A bit hot," Shale replied cautiously after putting down the book.

"Ignite it."

The doctor gave Shale a piece of paper. Shale held it and waited for a few seconds. Finding that the doctor had nothing else to say, he asked, "Um, did we skip a step... like an incantation or gestures?"

"Do not intellectualize; feel it. Guide this power. Unless your core Spirit Rune is a concept like [Extinguished Fire], this should not be a problem."

So Shale closed his eyes. He came from another world; although it lacked the extraordinary, it held more knowledge and imagination. He closed his eyes and relaxed, imagining the warmth within him flowing with his perception until it reached his fingertips and sparked.

When he opened his eyes, the paper between his fingers had turned withered and yellow due to the high heat. Behind him, a huge roar echoed from the steam, and a black shadow represented the hammer about to strike Shale's soul.

"The last step is the Hymn. You must acknowledge your identity and announce to the world that you have transcended the mundane." The doctor's tone became serious now.

"How do I do that?" Shale was puzzled. His heart was pounding; he understood that he was about to truly touch the extraordinary and step into the mysterious realm belonging to the age of steam.

"Say anything. I recited my own name at the time. Louisa recited a famous poem. Mr. Rate August prayed to the gods. Miss Luvia Annet whispered it, so we don't know."

To Shale at this moment, the doctor's words seemed to come from far away. He looked at the white, thick steam behind him, watching the hammer about to strike from behind the dense fog.

The woman's voice, the voice reciting the whispering poem, sounded again.

Thus, almost in sync with the woman's whisper in his heart, Shale recited the declaration silently:

[Sixth Epoch, General Calendar 1853, Summer, Day of the Silver Moon's Dim Glow, I have come to this world. I have pushed open the Gate of the Extraordinary and set foot on the path of sublimation through the four elements. Shale Suren Hamilton, the path of destiny branches beneath my feet. I shall witness, I shall experience, I shall see all of this.]

Carrying immense wind pressure, the giant hammer swung from deep within the steam, smashing down behind Shale amidst the gale.

Boom!

The soul was struck; sparks flew, spirit light flickered, and elements overflowed. Within that violently erupting white steam, a brass-colored wheel ring with a strange luster, resembling the sun, gradually became clear.

It rotated, scattering sparks in all directions. The brass ring body appeared completely within the steam fog, suspended behind him.

In the center of the high-speed rotating wheel, two brass-colored, shining core runes symbolized Shale's future destiny—

[Space-Time] [Silver Moon].