Starting With The Sefirah Castle In The Anime World

"What a surprise."

After completing today's diary entry, Ren drew his lottery reward.

The content of today's diary wasn't particularly rich, nor did it have any significant impact on other diary holders, yet the reward still came through.

[Lord of Mysteries]

[Obtained Sequence 9: Seer Potion]

A dark blue, slightly sticky liquid appeared in a test tube, about as thick as two finger joints.

"It seems as long as I carefully record my daily life, I'll continue to receive rewards."

"And the items I draw seem to not only align with the content of my diary but also with my current stage of progress."

"How considerate."

He picked up the test tube, removed the cork, tilted his head back, and downed the potion in one gulp.

The sticky texture wasn't particularly pleasant, it felt like swallowing a soft, green tongue.

As for the taste, it resembled a strange mix of compound juices.

In short, it could be summarized in two words:

"It's awful."

Potions were unpleasant not only in taste and texture but also because of the inherent risks they carried.

Drinking a potion involved assimilating the spiritual imprint contained within it, forcing a confrontation between one's self and the imprint.

As one progressed further down the sequence, the accumulation of spiritual imprints would increase, heightening the risk of mental instability or even schizophrenia.

"But this... feels refreshing."

The spiritual imprint from the potion became evident, yet instead of resistance or conflict, Ren felt a pleasant sense of assimilation.

Rather than inducing the usual symptoms of schizophrenia, the spiritual imprint seemed to merge harmoniously with his own consciousness.

The imprint didn't resist or struggle but actively cooperated, willingly becoming part of him. It even aided him in absorbing the potion's power.

"So this is the effect of 'Wild Card.'"

Ren couldn't help but grin.

As he had anticipated, this characteristic was incredibly compatible with the potion system.

The side effects of the potion system, such as mental instability and eventual "out of control" phenomena, were fundamentally negated by his unique trait.

Normally, individuals walking the sequence path would either absorb or suppress the spiritual imprint from the potion, but the end result often led to mental fragmentation.

However, "Wild Card" completely flipped the script.

This trait embraced the spiritual imprint, allowing it to become a natural extension of his personality.

Rather than the imprint assimilating him, it willingly recognized him as the dominant personality, submitting itself to him and choosing to merge.

It was as though the imprints yearned to return to their source, with him as their natural destination.

"And I don't even need to act. I can continuously draw on the power of the spiritual imprints to strengthen myself."

"If I incorporate the acting method, perhaps I can speed up the absorption process even further."

"I'll have to experiment with that."

The implications were clear: "Wild Card" wasn't just helpful, it was an unparalleled advantage.

For anyone taking the sequence path, possessing such a characteristic would save them from countless risks and complications.

"Tomorrow, I'll buy a divination book to start supplementing my knowledge of the occult."

But that was a matter for tomorrow.

Yawning, Ren began to feel drowsy. He rubbed his eyes, headed to the bathroom for a refreshing shower, and climbed into bed, falling asleep with the satisfaction of having officially embarked on the sequence path.

---

The night passed quickly, and before long, it was the next morning.

Ren arrived at Teitan High School in high spirits.

The school atmosphere was the same as usual.

Just like last year, he remained an insignificant presence.

At school, he was an introvert among introverts. He avoided communication, refrained from socializing, and naturally had no so-called friends.

This detachment made it easier for him to observe and determine who might have obtained the diary.

He took his seat in the classroom and began listening carefully to his classmates' gossip.

"It seems that Kudo appeared on TV again."

"Yeah, I saw it. He solved a case while visiting Tropical Land. "

"That guy might be arrogant, but his reasoning skills are undeniably impressive."

The classroom buzzed with chatter about what had happened at Tropical Land the day before.

Many expressed envy, marveling at Kudo's abilities.

Indeed, Shinichi was someone others couldn't help but envy.

He was handsome, intelligent, and came from a wealthy family. He lived in a villa with its own private courtyard, a lifestyle straight out of an anime protagonist's script.

What made people even more envious was his childhood friend, Ran Mouri.

Ran was well-known throughout the school, a beautiful girl with a good figure, a gentle personality, and an approachable demeanor. Her fiery side only emerged when dealing with Shinichi.

Of course, everyone was aware this dynamic was part of the "Kudo couple's" daily interactions.

Rumors about Shinichi and Ran being a couple had circulated in school for a long time.

Neither had ever confirmed or denied the rumors, which only fueled the teasing. Many referred to them as the "Kudo couple" in jest.

Ren adjusted his glasses, picked up his diary, and began writing.

---

[Diary Entry]

[As soon as I arrived at school, I overheard my classmates talking about what happened at Tropical Land yesterday.]

[Just like always, Shinichi's case-solving process and his remarks in front of the camera were reported on.]

[Not surprising.]

[However, starting today, Shinichi probably won't make any public appearances for a long time.]

[I feel a little sorry for Ran Mouri.]

[As for Shinichi, I wonder if he'll follow the original story and move into Ran's house as a guest.]

---

He paused for a moment, resting his chin on his hand in thought.

"As long as nothing major happens, Shinichi's story will likely continue along its original trajectory."

"If not, it would mean Ran or Sonoko got the diary."

"But even if one of them has the diary, would they really resist Shinichi moving into the Mouri household?"

It was difficult to predict.

As for Shinichi and Ran's relationship, at most, Ran might hesitate a little before ultimately forcing Shinichi to move in.

"This will serve as a key indicator to determine if either Ran or Sonoko has the diary."

If either of them held the diary, Shinichi likely wouldn't be able to move into the Mouri household.

That would serve as a crucial point of judgment.