From Hao Qi's observations, the people, objects, and events along this journey all shared a distinct tendency: a kind of invisible, ordinary-person-imperceptible flow coursing through them. It was chaotic yet orderly, simple yet complex. Had Hao Qi not already achieved virtual transcendence, he likely would have failed to perceive these profound mysteries even from within.
As for Guts, Casca, and the little sprite Puck, they stood right at the core of this flow. While it was not quite like the Hawk of Light, where the entire world seemed to revolve around them, at least every move they made was influencing everything around them. Moreover, this degree of influence was steadily intensifying over time, acting like a massive vortex that swept numerous key figures into its wake.
For instance, Hao Qi noticed that ever since meeting Griffith, Guts had grown increasingly volatile. Just yesterday, upon waking from sleep, a murderous intent toward Casca had flashed through his mind for a single moment. Though this intent was fleeting, it was deeply abnormal. It did not originate from Guts's own heart; rather, it felt as though it had been forcefully imposed upon him by some external force. In the wake of that murderous impulse, Guts was instantly overwhelmed by guilt, grief, lingering fear, and other turbulent emotions.
Chapter 547