New Game+

The interviews that followed the fall of Firth Fortress were particularly fun to watch. Cliff has been treating it as a form of entertainment. Cliff didn't even use his own memory to replay the scene in his head but would actually rewatch the news report on a TV to enjoy it all the more. The other Unlocked also used Lowengren's news program as a form of entertainment. While women tend to read the hot, passionate romance stories that were the reports to update the team of Kristine and Jake, who was Arthur's Overcomer experiment, the men treated Lowengren's escapade as some form of a sports show.

And as Lowengren and Alean led the team of Magantae into the Caliphate, some fringe conspiracy media groups in the Caliphates follow and update the Unlocked for this news. The troubles and confusion that Magantae experienced at Lowengren and Alean were so confusing that only the Unlocked new reports were all connected because they knew Lowengren.

The wild reports ranged from two Caliphate states going on a skirmish over an alleged sandwich to a sexy, lingerie-clothed woman wrestling with an Arabian leopard to save a dying man from unexpectedly drowning in milk.

Charles loved that series and was excited that another 'Lowengren show' was airing. And so, Charles didn't want any spoilers and stopped the group from listening to Lennox's report and didn't even want to see the title of the news report as it gave away the 'plot.'

And it was only after listening to the news report that they listened to Lennox's report.

"They would really believe that lie? I mean... robots from the future seemed very suspicious. If it were me, I'd check it!" Cliff asked.

"Cliff, you also need to consider politics when thinking about this stuff. In today's time, countries and states are declaring their independence one after the other. Politicians are filling the gap that the WGP left when they abandoned most parts of the world to fend for themselves. And that is why that crazy lie will work."

Cliff began to think for a bit. He considered several perspectives and finally made his conclusion.

"That lie just sort of placed a large banner on top of Egypt! The Presiders will definitely act! What if Time Travel tech is real! I mean, you sort of time travelled!"

"If that tech does exist, it's something that Primordials have. And even then, it's quite difficult to do. With the appearance of odd paths like Lowengren's and Alean's, we can be more and more certain that my rebirth was part of a strong Zone and was prepared in a way that we cannot fathom. So I think Time traveling will be an absurd thing among Presiders." Seeker explained.

"But even if that's true, it's too suspicious! If Andronze informs other Presiders..."

"He won't." Lynd interrupted.

"He won't?" Cliff and Meryl asked together.

"He won't. That's what Lennox meant in his report that Alean thinks this is the best Path. I think that Arthur believes whatever is down in Egypt might be related to the Lost Primordial. The real one." Lynd added as he used his thinking to simulate what Arthur was thinking.

"But... Lennox said that they said Primes! Aren't they people that are beyond Principals? All those Pioneers we managed to capture and interrogate spouted these things. How can this Andronze not take action and inform the rest if Primes or at least a Principal is involved?"

"Because Andronze won't tell them." Seeker smiled as he could tell Lowengren's perspective and explained the same perspective of Lowengren.

"My Path of Truth allows me to have a vague idea of how people perceive and interpret truth. That Andronze will be driven mad with desire. You have to understand that Lowengren lies aren't just things that will trick you. It's a force that can bend you to believe what he wants you to believe. Those lies aren't lies that end in themselves. It all adds up and makes a person choose to believe a specific thing."

"So his deception somehow produces inception?" 

"Yes. Deception is when Lowengren deceives you and plants a fake idea in yourself. But now, his power is much more than that. Lowengren doesn't plant an idea in your head. He plants his lies in a way that the person will create the thought in himself and create inception."

"Wow. Just like that movie, my head is spinning now from listening to your talks."

"Let's put it this way. Based on the reports, Lowengren pretended to be a Presider serving a Principal sent by a Prime. He leaves a lie that a Planted will become a Prime and that they are here to kill that person. They even made strange and very broad details about this person that makes even his gender inconclusive. That's his lie. Although Arthur is guessing that a legacy of the Lost Primordial is down there, it could be anything! What will happen is that the Presider will conceive ideas based on those lies and act to our advantage." Lynd explained.

"Let's not forget that Alean also said her Path is prodding her to make those crazy guys go through with the plan. So, we could have more assurance that this Andronze won't say anything, or that if she does, the Presider she contacts won't help her."

"Well, that part I get..." Cliff nodded.

Meryl rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe that Cliff was now smarter than her.

"Hello? Pretty girl, who's slow with these things here!" Meryl reminded everyone.

"Imagine... Being a Presider, Meryl." Charles chuckled.

"You go ask another that a time-traveling Presider with a Principal sent by a Prime is now in Egypt. You show them that news report."

"Alright. I get it." Meryl understood.

"That's the genius of the news report. Lennox ordered the soldiers to shoot down the video at a critical moment. To those Presiders, they'd just think that this new country is trying to take advantage and is making up strange excuses to attack Egypt."

"Amazing. So this was Arthur's, Lowengren, and Alean's Path working together." Meryl praised.

"If the three of them work together, we would be unbeatable. We might not even need you, Zeek!" Meryl chuckled.

"If only that were the case. Principals breach dimensions. It has powers that are similar to Nogard's techs. In short, they have Zone as well. And that alone can throw a cog in our plans. Remember that with so many Presiders on Earth, Arthur's chance of prediction has lowered. That's why we arranged this format. This way, each of us will train to grow on these Paths."

"So that, by the time Principals arrive, our armies all have Zone." Lynd understood the intention. As someone who had a form of Zone, he knew how important it was in the battle. His fight against the Unlocked armies revealed the need for it.

"Exactly. This is why we are all together again. We need Alean. I need to tread on her Path. If I can harness it all the more and manage to pass it on to you, we'd have more Zone fighters. I don't know what the limits of Zone are, but this is what we are preparing for. Nogard's soul abilities may help us. For now, you know your arrangements." Seeker turned to the rest.

"I'll be working with Precil and Nogard along with the Emperors who specialize in medicine. We will be trying to understand Plague technology and will attempt to combine Origin into an Unlocks body. Our goal is to create a copy or imitation of the Chinese Dantian or what those Pioneers refer to as the Force Foundation." Charles relayed his intentions.

"I'll be with Charm and to spy on Lanterk and Zeraphine. I'll also be directing Prince, Jane, and Eva for the next few days." Cliff sighed. He saw how Charm looked at him and was complaining at the peculiar events he found himself in.

"Tech copy of Emperors and also help the Emperors with their research to improve our tech." Lynd explained.

"I'll be toying with a boy's heart and make my boyfriend jealous." Meryl laughed.

"Good."

"What about you, Zeek? You plan to spy on Zeraphine. But what does that mean, exactly?" Lynd immediately asked.

"Yeah, Zeek. You gotta level with us now. Do you really like her? And if yes, are you an idiot?" 

"Since we're all here... I'll tell everyone what you intend to do, Zeek. Guys, he plans to make himself fall in love with Zeraphine." Lynd declared.

"What?!" The group chorused.

Seeker sighed, not denying Lynd's accusation.

"But why?" Meryl asked?"

"What exactly do you mean by this, Lynd? Allow himself to fall in love with Zeraphine?"

"Well, because of his past life, he already is. But he plans to use whatever power he managed to acquire by treading on Lowengren's Path and lying to himself. I'm sure it will work. He has the memories and could relive the emotions. With it, he'll definitely fall in love."

"Why?!" Meryl demanded.

"He... doesn't have a choice." Cliff managed to guess it as he was looking at his memories.

"Zeraphine was reported to have mind-controlling powers. That's what Harker said. But obviously, it isn't really minded control. Seeker's past. The stories he told us about Zeraphine! Why hadn't he seen it? Even to the time that Zeraphine betrayed them and when he saw Alphie. What kind of delusion did he have? He is Seeker Carlean! How can something beguile him!" 

"You mean... Zeraphine has the power to control emotions?" Charles guessed.

"It should be something related to that." It was Seeker who finally answered.

"As Cliff said... there was something strange about how I saw her. Nogard also stated that the fluctuations of her soul were strange. The way she probably does it is probably because she has a power that is related to the soul. And since Lanterk assumed Nogard is a Principal, then we can guess that Zeraphine could be related who is at least at Principal." Seeker explained.

"This tech could be very basic. But it is a Principal's tech. And the only way for me to spy on her and manipulate her is to really fall in love with her."

"Why not make your adult self take your place."

Seeker shook his head.

"The adult me would be in a more dangerous position. He's the real person that fell in love with Zeraphine. I'm just someone affected by his memories. Zera's death really affected him. When she died after that battle, the Realm King sensed him spiraling into darkness. He took Zera's body and found a way to give false life to her. I don't know if it was related to Zeraphine's soul ability or Lennox's means to replicate the electric signals in her brain... But they made Zeraphine into some form of Android after to save the adult Seeker. It kept him from falling into such depression."

"Scary. If Adult Seeker, an Unlocked human that could easily dictate the thoughts and emotions of his brain, fell into depression, then just how strong was Zeraphine's power on him?" 

The group then fell into silence.

"I have to do this, guys. And since it's that scary... I need your help." Seeker explained.