You have come a long way to reach this point. You are truly incomprehensible!

Now... we must discuss combat on a spiritual level.

Hidden existences don't fight with overwhelming power. They instead fight using knowledge and secrets. You have already seen an example regarding 'hidden rules'.

But how does one use a hidden rule to defeat their foe?

Contracts

More often then not... especially if you never made your phylactery. You will have to rely on your origin universe. You will have to rely on your original body.

In the last step, you have constructed your revival ritual.

You now need to 'trick' some mortals into praying using your esteemed name. Where do you start regarding this? You start with yourself.

You alone should keep your ritual a secret. It is extremely precious information. Revealing such information is like doxing yourself.

So what do I mean when I talk about 'yourself'?

You have designed your symbol.

You have created a spiritual artifact in your paradise which can revive your avatar.

Hidden existences rely on contracts to interact with and shape the world.

The first existence you will make a contract with...

Is yourself!

Perform your revival ritual using your original body. Then instead of relying on the visualization technique to 'leap'. You seize your body from yourself.

This might sound a bit confusing.

Why are you stealing your own body?

It is because the consciousness which carries your body and the eternal consciousness you have constructed by following this technique aren't the same thing at all!

One is entirely spiritual in nature and can't interact with physical reality directly. The other isn't so, it is more grounded and is able to control your physical body like a puppet.

There is a HUGE reason this step is important. Whether or not you care to create a Hivemind. There exist multiple versions of you across the multiverse regardless.

By performing your unique ritual.

There are bound to be other versions of yourself that have read this technique and have created a revival ritual.

But this book shifts depending on the universe. There is also inherent randomness in the process of constructing this technique.

So... these other versions of yourself will have different techniques. Depending on their progress with this technique. They may be hidden existences themselves.

But because these are other versions of yourself. Your spiritual name and ritual will overlap.

This leads to a weird outcome.

A few hidden existences with different visualization techniques using the same 'symbol' and performing the same ritual.

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At the same time...

I assume you see the issue, right?

Your original body! It isn't just 'you' trying to seize it!

You have opened up the floodgates and allowed other versions of yourself to find your original universe.

But this is a necessary evil. As you have also gained many opportunities from this. You have unlocked a database of universes you can invade.

This is where those true existences you created come in handy. You will use them to battle for control of your bodies in other universes.

This is a rather interesting battle as these hidden existences have almost the same memories as you. They know everything about you.

But remember... your physical body isn't 'you'.

You aren't simply taking over the body through force. You aren't strong enough for that. Especially when competing against MANY alternate versions of yourself.

This is where contracts come into place.

After your original body performs the revival ritual. It will be contacted by hidden existences that are similar to you. It is then like negotiating rather then stealing the body.

You have to have something that would benefit your original body. A piece of knowledge that can tempt them. Promises of longevity, fame, or wealth.

What exactly are you trading here?

There are different levels to contracts.

For example, imagine if you were contacted by a hidden existence. They promise you fame with a price. What is the price? It isn't something like selling their soul, start small. You simply ask for their entire existence to become your phylactery.

Did you think it was simply items that could be a phylactery? No, most things can serve the function.

From this 'deal'. Both parties benefit. You get a beacon to their universe. You then open up opportunities for them to be famous.

You do this by messing with their fate.

When they are getting an interview to be an idol. You mess with on a spiritual level up their competitors. When it is their turn. You distort the consciousness of the person performing the interview.

They just so happen to get a 'favorable impression'.

Their competition just so happened to flop.

The chance they needed to become famous becomes within reach.

Years go by and you have helped this person attain their dream. You then use them to acquire more contracts and deals.

Imagine this.

You now have a famous person who is now quite wealthy thanks to their success. The options for what you can offer increase through them.

You can prey on desperate people.

There are people out there that need a miracle. You simply become the provider of that miracle. You do so discreetly.

Here's another example:

Someone has a family member that is dying and requires an organ transplant, they won't be able to survive much longer without it.

You 'listen' using the beacon you have created through the famous pawn.

You aren't the only person that can mess with the spiritual. Everybody has spiritual energy generated from their thoughts. You have simply used this energy to become a hidden existence.

So as mortals pray.

They 'target' an existence.

Some pray to 'God'.

You aren't the target. So you won't hear their prayers.

The same is the case for those that pray to the 'Devil'.

But when they get no response... they might try making this target more vague.

Once the target becomes anything. Once they pray for any existence to help them. Thanks to your beacon. You can hear their prayers.

You then do something that will shock them.

You respond.

Most of peoples lives, they have no contact with hidden existences. They don't expect someone to answer their prayers. In fact, if some existence does. They will chalk it up to hallucination.

You then offer them a deal.

Their soul to save their family member.

The second contract you ever made. You simply asked to make the person a phylactery as a beacon. That was because the actual amount of things you could pull off was small. It was also because someone is unlikely to be willing to sell their soul for something that isn't essential.

But now you have a beacon in this universe. Someone with fame and wealth. Through them, you can interact and promise things you couldn't before.

But you must remember. You are also bound by these contracts. If you don't carry out your promise. You won't get rewarded for it. There may even be a backlash.

Once they agree to your deal.

You work in the background to make it happen.

The beacon you have just so happens to donate to an organization and secretly hints at moving their name up on the list of priority for the transplant.

The operation is successful and you gain a soul.

You earned your very first soul! Congratulations!

Souls are the currency for hidden existences...

Why are they 'currency'?

Because each soul is like a miner of spiritual energy.

The visualization technique you have rotating is generating this energy for you. But if you ever need to use your artifact to revive yourself. You will spend this energy.

You can use the souls of mortals as a generator of this energy.

In an emergency situation. You can even directly consume the souls potential to recover an explosive amount of energy. But the soul will collapse and vanish from such an action.