Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍questioning voices overlapped and intertwined, as though someone were shouting across an immensely distant and empty hall—yet he was clearly seated at the table.

Euler ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did not reply. Like a child, he looked around with a face full of wonder, strolling here and there, occasionally reaching out to touch something.

“Tsk ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍tsk, so this is the famous Council of Keepers? It looks like nothing special. As expected, those close to the gods care more about the 【Trident Gate】. What’s left in this world is only an empty shell.”

As ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he spoke, he raised his head and looked toward the seven hooded 【Keepers】. In the dimly lit room, it was impossible to see what lay beneath the hoods—but the camera embedded in Euler’s eye socket could clearly distinguish that there were no human faces beneath them.

“Oh, ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍right. I almost forgot. You don’t even have shells.”

“What ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍exactly do you want?” The leading 【Keeper】 tilted his head slightly. “You should know that within this room, it is not difficult for us to exercise our authority.”

“Indeed, indeed. You’re the 【Keepers】, after all. Even if a 【Named One】 came here, they might not be able to do anything to you. But…”

He suddenly tilted his ear, as though listening to something.

“The ritual is complete.”

“What ritual—?!”

The 【Keeper】 stopped mid-sentence.

The other 【Keepers】 abruptly turned their heads as well. Within their empty hoods, there was an oddly human hint of shock.

“What ritual? Why, the ritual of ascension, of course. You must have sensed the fleeting crack when the 【Trident Gate】 opened, no? My good niece truly did not disappoint. The ritual was completed without a single error—and through it, I ascended as well.”

A smile appeared on his face as he casually picked up the Cardinal’s Scepter beside him.

When Michel pushed open the door, he froze in place.

He had expected to see those lofty, imposing figures—but instead, he saw only a single man.

Euler was performing maintenance on himself. Two mechanical arms skillfully applied Sacred Oil to his bearings, while his other two hands casually wiped the Cardinal’s Scepter with a white cloth.

Michel’s gaze shifted to the scepter in his hand. The white cloth was stained with blood. Looking closer—why did that white cloth have wave-shaped gold trimming?

“Strange, isn’t it? The shells in this world are merely projections of entities within the Sea of Unawareness, yet when struck, they still splash blood.”

Without waiting for Michel’s response, Euler continued speaking to himself:

“I find it rather curious. The power of the 【Keepers】 clearly cannot affect reality—so why does the Church still follow their arrangements? The Church of Candlelight is a church of this world. As for beings from the other world—whether the 【Keepers】 or the gods—they should not be worshiped. Power that cannot be used is no power at all.”

Michel stood there with his mouth open, staring at the corpses on the ground, unable to utter a word.

“I have a better suggestion. You can worship me instead. You see—I have power, and I can use it in this world. Isn’t that far stronger than any god?”

Euler rose with a smile, kicked aside a corpse at his feet, and held the scepter out with both arms spread wide, as if to embrace everything before him.

He smiled at the 【Investigators】.

“So—who agrees? And who opposes?”

In the dim room, the man hung his head, motionless.

His hands were suspended from iron shackles. A closer look revealed that the chains were densely engraved with intricate patterns.

There were many wounds on his body—some deep enough to expose bone. On those wounds, white maggots slowly gnawed at the flesh.

The injuries were slowly healing, but every time a sliver of new flesh grew, it was torn away and devoured by the maggots. Blood dripped down his skin and splattered onto the ground.

The bloodstains on the floor had long since turned black. Layer upon layer of dried blood had accumulated—no one could tell how many times over.

Bang.

The door suddenly swung open. The man struggled to lift his eyelids and look over.

When he saw the white robe trimmed with gold, he lowered his head again.

The newcomer’s footsteps were steady and unhurried, drawing closer and closer, until they stopped before the iron-barred cell.

There was the sound of keys clinking. Rusted bearings let out a teeth-grinding screech as the cell door opened.

“Isaac. Long time no see.”

Isaac struggled to raise his head. His gaze moved past the immaculate Church of Candlelight robe and stopped at the other’s hand.

It was a mechanical hand.

He hesitated. Then, within his muddled mind, a possibility suddenly took shape. A powerful force erupted from his dying body, and he jerked his head up.

Opposite him, Euler stood with arms folded, watching with a faint smile.

“So this is how you sought revenge? You joined Moths Chasing Fire to overthrow the Church—only to overturn yourself into this place instead?”

“Eu—ler—!”

Isaac growled through clenched teeth. He was about to say more when he suddenly noticed the mechanical arms extending from Euler’s back.

One of those mechanical arms held a Cardinal’s Scepter.

“You’ve become a Cardinal?”

“A Cardinal? Heh.” Euler let out a cold laugh. The mechanical arm raised the scepter—and then slammed it down.

Bang!

Isaac collapsed to the ground. After several deep breaths, he gathered enough strength to struggle back to his feet.

He stared in shock at the broken chain around his wrist.

“How did you do that? These chains can block out the Sea of Unawareness—”

“Who told you I was borrowing power from the Sea of Unawareness?”

Isaac froze.

“I no longer need to connect to the Sea of Unawareness to obtain power. I am power itself. Let alone these isolating chains—even if you were trapped within the Sea of Unawareness, I could drag you back into reality by force.”

“What’s the use of power? You still can’t take revenge.”

Euler looked at Isaac’s disbelieving expression and sighed.

“Isaac, on the day the City of Dreams was destroyed, I told you—you chose the wrong path. You and I are the only dual-path Transcendents in this world. We should have developed this power.”

“And yet you remained obsessed with borrowing from others—whether joining Moths Chasing Fire or going to Castel, it was all the same.”

“Moths Chasing Fire cannot save you. Castel is far beyond reach. The only power you can trust is your own.”

Euler looked down at his hands, longing and obsession gleaming in his eyes.

“If you ask me, in that regard, you’re not even as good as my niece. At least she knew the Mechanical Sanctum was unreliable and tried to ascend on her own. A pity. She has probably lost control and died by now.”

Isaac stared at Euler warily and took a step back. The broken iron chains on his wrists clattered against the ground.

“What do you want from me? Help you attack the Church of Candlelight? We can negotiate. As long as I can take revenge, everything is negotiable.”

Euler slowly raised his head and fixed his gaze on Isaac. The corner of his mouth gradually curved upward.

“Revenge? You have no enemies left to avenge. The people who once persecuted us—I’ve already killed them all.”

With that, without waiting for a response, he drove the scepter sharply into the stone floor and turned to leave.

“You’re free now. Pick up the scepter—and you’ll be the Cardinal of the Church of Candlelight.”