When the plot-skips players into the game world

Previously, Aiwass always believed that transforming the Waite Tarot into the Thoth Tarot was an inevitable process when the Great Sin Scholar created a Phantom Card.

But now this situation proves otherwise.

This seems like a subtle detail, but in reality, it hides a significant issue.

This world has no deity named "Thoth." There can be no inheritance of the "Thoth Tarot."

It should be noted, the Shepherd also belongs to the Serpent Celestial Marshal's snake tail, theoretically he and Aiwass have no differences. Their essence is the same, therefore Aiwass is the second Great Sin Scholar in the world.

"No wonder, when I first created the Sin Card, it was so smooth..."

Aiwass murmured.

——He finally unraveled a mystery that was perpetually etched in his mind but has remained unanswered.

When Aiwass first "awakened past life memories," he tried to seal the Shadow Demon's power by drawing Phantom Cards.

At that time, even Aiwass himself didn't know whether the ritual could succeed. Even if it succeeded, he didn't understand why it could succeed.

This concern was valid.

A practitioner only needs to learn the knowledge of the corresponding Path to gain Extraordinary Power — this trait originates from the credit given by the Celestial Marshals and Pillar Gods when they handed over the professional system, a form of "deposit."

It's like the DND Magic Net System, making casting spells more convenient and efficient; or like the contract signed by trainees, securing a position and obtaining power, then through "education" gradually aligning with the requirements of the Source River and Path, directly transforming into the talent needed by the Heavenly Department Pillar God.

Only an Heir can truly resonate with the Source River and dredge out ownerless power from it.

The birth of the Great Sin Scholar profession happened after the Fallen Celestial Marshal was pulled down and killed by the Ring of Ouroboros. Through the ownerless state of the "Great Sin" field, the "future profession" was developed.

In other words, at the point when Aiwass just "crossed over," this profession had not been registered by the Serpent Celestial Marshal and couldn't have been registered - at that time, the hatred of the Fallen Celestial Marshal towards the Serpent Celestial Marshal was extremely high, the Serpent Celestial Marshal couldn't have used the Fallen Celestial Marshal's power as collateral.

By right, Aiwass shouldn't have been able to make any Phantom Card.

Unless...

——At that time, Aiwass wasn't using the power of a practitioner to draw the Phantom Cards, but rather through the system of an Heir.

The power of an Heir comes from the founder of this inheritance. The Ancient People resonate with the Path, obtaining weak power far inferior to those resonating deeply with the same Path, and then slowly nurturing and inscribing it onto the Path, into the "original skill," and optimizing it through slight adjustments.

If someone later can resonate with the Ancient People at the same frequency, they can obtain corresponding power from the Source River. If the resonance intensity is deeper, the power will be stronger; if weaker, the power will diminish accordingly.

Now Aiwass finally knows...

The first Great Sin Scholar in the world was the Shepherd!

The ability to draw Phantom Cards originally belongs to the same inheritance as the Shepherd's Method!

——This is why Aiwass easily resonated with the "Nurturing Secret Sequel" back then!

Although the "Nurturing Secret Sequel" is lost nowadays, it was secretly preserved for a long time. During such a long period, no one truly mastered the Art of Herding... Even the Benevolent Lords of Heaven City merely imitated the Shepherd's behavior, attempting to replicate the Shepherd's Method. But such behavior, instead of obtaining inheritance, resembles "attempting reverse development after receiving inspiration."

Thus his Nurturing Skill is so weak, yet still capable of manipulating humans in the Material Realm, because it wasn't a proper Nurturing Skill in the first place.

The essence of the Art of Herding is closely related to the Tail Cutting Skill, while the memory Aiwass received from the Serpent Celestial Marshal is also a form of Art of Herding, and the Serpent Celestial Marshal devouring its own snake tail is part of the Art of Herding.

It's a Celestial Marshal Skill closely tied to reincarnation and evolution... hence it is so powerful that it can easily distort the mind of Upper-Level Demons.

Because it itself is a fragment of the Serpent Celestial Marshal!

For such a long time, many people coveted the Shepherd's power but were unable to obtain it, because they lacked one crucial thing——

——The Key!

Mastering the skill of Phantom Card drawing is the key to unlocking all those secrets!

[——Mr. Aiwass Moriarty... my darling little key.]

[——You can open the door to the past.]

[——Perhaps you truly are innocent... little snake's key.]

[——Anyway, without you, his crazy plan will also fail!]

His foster father's and the Fallen Celestial Marshal's words echoed in Aiwass' heart.

"No wonder..."

Aiwass murmured softly.

Therefore, Aiwass could create Phantom Cards capable of sealing the Shadow Demon even without understanding anything, being only at the first Energy Level!

Because this knowledge had long become a ritual, engraved by the Shepherd upon the world!

Before the Fallen Celestial Marshal died, Aiwass had become a Great Sin Scholar... it must be because of this reason.

So, this ability to transform the Tarot Cards into Thoth Tarot belongs neither to the Serpent Celestial Marshal nor to the Shepherd, it isn't part of any previous snake tail, it is the power mastered by this special individual "Aiwass!"

Why does Aiwass have these unusual traits that even the Serpent Celestial Marshal doesn't possess or understand?

Unless...

The Serpent Celestial Marshal isn't the main body.

From the beginning——from the moment Aiwass was born, he was already the true main body!

The Serpent Celestial Marshal, who desires to escape this world, is the separated snake tail!

Thus Aiwass is referred to as the "Holy Entity," possessing the "great quality" to manipulate destiny through imitation!

Because in a sense, except for losing his memories, he is essentially the same as Arthur!

"Thoth Tarot... Aiwass... Aleister..."

Realizing this, Aiwass fell into a momentary daze.

In his consciousness, a key of void seemed to turn gently.

Accompanied by a click, the sealed memories surged in like a tide——

This wasn't the memory given to Aiwass by the Serpent Celestial Marshal but rather that part of the "lost memory" unknown to both the Serpent Celestial Marshal and him.

——That is the memory belonging to the Shepherd!

This is the initial memory the Serpent Celestial Marshal handed to the Shepherd, only opened under special circumstances.

But the Shepherd chose to seal it away... only when the Tarot Cards touch the Holy Entity and revert to the Thoth Tarot will the seal be broken.

Aiwass recalled the complete knowledge of the Thoth Tarot: it was a type of tarot deck existing only in past lives. It was invented by a mystic named "Aleister Crowley," who claimed that his knowledge was conveyed by an angel named "Aiwass," and later created the "Book of Law" and "Book of Thoth."

The prayers used by the Serpent Celestial Marshal were also adaptations of parts of the "Book of Law" and "Book of Thoth."

These words themselves held no meaning, the sole significance lay in Aiwass being unable to know the part unsaid by the Serpent Celestial Marshal.

It was a test, to see if Aiwass restored complete memory.

Also a test to see if the Shepherd's sealed memory had leaked out!

To verify this plan prepared for ten cycles of reincarnation, whether it is still on the correct path today!