Back to the Fool and Amon's conversation above Sefirah Castle, before the Tarot Club members were arrested.
During the Great Smog of Backlund, the Fool had intervened to gather allies and overthrow the Ancient Sun God.
However, the Ancient Sun God had already predicted it and allied Himself with Amanises, who made an alliance with the Fool on the surface to stab Him in the back; since They were both compatriots, She joined the Ancient Sun God's side instead of the Fool because the Fool had gone mad and His goals to make a Great Old One fall would endanger Them during the incoming apocalypse. Thus, She decided to protect the earth.
Amon spread His hands.
"Do you understand now?"
Seeing Amon sitting in front of Him, the Fool realized why the Angel of Deceit had never tried to attack Him or steal Sefirah Castle away from Him even when He saw Him in the Forsaken Land of the Gods.
Amon didn't need to, since He knew it would come to this point.
'After all, the Angel of Deceit indeed isn't the type of person to be stopped simply because His opponent is stronger than Him…'
Things were falling into place one by one.
"Did you accept a part of the Lord of Mysteries' will to enter Sefirah Castle?"
However, since the Fool was the current Lord of Mysteries, wasn't Amon practically resurrecting Zhou Mingrui inside Him right now? Although it was Zhou Mingrui's divine side, and the Fool was too weak to interfere with it.
Moreover, Amon had only accepted a small part. He wouldn't do something that endangered Him or take uncontrollable risks.
The Fool's body became heavier again. It was strange.
"Now, you must be wondering, how do I intend to replace you as Lord of Mysteries?"
It became increasingly hard to hold onto His consciousness.
"You must have already guessed one point—the water of the River of Eternal Darkness you procured to the Evernight Goddess was put on the cross currently sealing your Beyonder abilities."
Normally, with His status as a Lord of Mysteries above Sefirah Castle and the level of His soul, He should be able to somewhat resist the influence of the River of Eternal Darkness, so why?
"Thanks to your past status as a Lord of Mysteries and your current level as a Sequence 0, you should somewhat be able to resist it. But you see, this cross belongs to my father," Amon 'generously' explained.
He was clearly enjoying messing with Him.
"An item left by the Ancient Sun God can easily counter a weakened Lord of Mysteries, especially when the person in question is not at the Great Old One level anymore but a True God."
The Fool could see a smile on Amon's face.
"But, an ability was added to the cross."
The Fool realized what Amon meant.
A cross originally only made for sealing.
"One of my father's authorities was the Sun Pathway, you see?"
And the Sun Pathway, at higher Sequences, was able to…
The Fool tried to raise His hand and remove the cross, but it was useless. His body felt too heavy.
How hadn't He thought of removing it since earlier? Did Amon steal His thoughts? Was this another one of Adam's countermeasures?
"Since earlier, this cross had slowly been removing your Beyonder characteristics."
That was why they were stalling for time.
"Of course, it is impossible to truly kill a Great Old One. Especially as a former Lord of Mysteries, taking your life would be useless."
So, they decided to not kill Him.
"The best way we found to deal with you was to take away your Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics and the Fool Uniqueness. Without it, you won't be able to resist the River of Eternal Darkness's influence regardless of your soul's level and will thus fall into an eternal slumber. Even 'resurrection' won't save you from this."
Then, Amon would have the materials necessary to advance to Lord of Mysteries, and stealing the ownership of Sefirah Castle when its master was absent wouldn't be complicated.
It was a sure way to deal with the former Lord of Mysteries.
Mr. Fool's consciousness was blurry, his thoughts sluggish.
Funnily enough, Mr. Fool realized, maybe the Evernight Goddess was right.
Was it the influence of the River of Eternal Darkness on His mind?
The madness bothering Him calmed down.
After all, when He saved Sharron, He didn't necessarily need to make her recite His honorific name to save her, but His spiritual intuition told Him it was beneficial to make her join the Tarot Club.
Since when had He started thinking like a god instead of a human on an equal footing?
The Star's expression as He sacrificed Beyonders to Him. Miss Magician's increasing lack of energy as she looked at Him.
Depression? Worry? Resignation? What was it?
Yet He could still discern trust in their gazes.
His actions starting to lead His believers to doom.
Yet, without the River of Eternal Darkness's influence, the madness would come back, and this fact would be forgotten.
Laughably, His last thoughts were about the Tarot Club members.
After an unknown amount of time, Amon happily spoke up.
"It's time."
Getting up, He approached the Fool and picked the three Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics and the Uniqueness that had finally finished being extracted.
After purifying them a little, Amon would be able to use them for advancement.
Then, raising His hand to pour a last drop of River of Eternal Darkness onto the now Sequence 2 Zhou Mingrui, Amon concluded, "Goodbye, Mr. Fool."
The Evernight Goddess had only applied a little amount of water onto the cross to avoid contaminating the Fool's Beyonder characteristics, but it wasn't a worry anymore after He had lost the characteristics in question.
Amanises had also handed to Him the rest of the water to pour on the Fool to Amon—with a cue from Adam to make sure the Angel of Deceit indeed used it on the Fool—and kept the amount She needed for Herself.
Now, the Fool wouldn't ever be able to wake up.
Mr. Fool had been defeated.
Amon briefly glanced at the crimson stars around Him and turned back. Although He had agreed to lend His help to protect the Earth against the incoming apocalypse in exchange, He had eventually achieved His goal and would be able to advance to Lord of Mysteries after becoming the God of the Error Pathway.
Above Sefirah Castle, the gray fog swirled peacefully, plunged into an eternal silence.
The long bronze table had disappeared, leaving a junk pile of gold coins, letters, newspapers, and a pocket watch with Backlund's time. Amon had stolen the Beyonder items and characteristics present.
Next to it, only the Fool lied there, unmoving.
Never to wake up again.