Siren blinked, looking at the somewhat familiar yet alien creature. She immediately thought of the Sea King.
They were similar, but also distinctly different.
"Hello there, little Fish-Man. Why are you here alone? Are you lost?"
Um…
Siren was stunned.
"Um… who are you?"
As Siren spoke, a massive marine creature emerged from the depths: Vespa. He also saw the enormous Hydra.
Who… was that?
He'd never seen anything like it before.
As they both stared, a massive wave rose from the distant sea!
A colossal octopus-headed creature emerged from the ocean depths, the waves surging violently.
Blood-red moonlight painted the sea like a sea of blood.
The giant octopus-headed creature lumbered towards them, snatching Siren from Hydra's grasp and placing her on Vespa's back.
"Don't be alarmed, Vespa. She's Liu… Hydra. She's on our side."
On our side?
So… a new series of sea creatures?
Sea King, Hydra, Siren, Vespa.
Does this mean our sea-creature series gained a member, forming the four great sea behemoths?
No, it should be three. Siren can't be considered a full member; she's barely half.
"So… we're all in another world?"
"What's happening with the Earth's oceans?"
...
Elsewhere, on Earth.
Several fleets searched the sea for a long time without finding Vespa.
"Where's Leviathan?"
"Something that size can't be hidden; it can't just disappear!"
"No radar response from the creature?"
"None. Completely vanished…"
"No, this is critical. We must immediately notify the O5 Council!"
…
Africa.
While 009 was absent, Kitsune launched a large-scale cleanup.
They launched a full-scale assault on numerous Chaos Insurgency bases, deploying nearly eighty percent of their forces.
Deca employed a decapitation strategy—catch the king first. Eliminating the Chaos Insurgency's leaders would demoralize the remaining forces.
Their primary target was Naira Sorkin, whom they tracked to Tanzania, Africa.
Naira Sorkin retreated, facing ten days of relentless pursuit!
Jia Wood arrived first!
The others descended from the sky, leaving trails of shimmering afterimages.
Naira Sorkin could see their afterimages—a myriad of colors, like a rainbow squadron.
Among them, three men stood out—the three most formidable members of Deca.
One green, one gold, one red.
The green was Jia Wood; his massive afterimage was in a protective stance, flanked by two serpentine, writhing vines. His aura was exceptionally arrogant.
The gold was Geng Metal; his afterimage had four arms, each wielding a massive blade. His aura was sharp and murderous.
Finally, the red was Bing Fire, a strikingly bright young man; his afterimage was a fire-engulfed, horned bull-like creature bound in chains!
Of the five men and five women, these three were the most conspicuous.
In contrast, the man representing Earth was unremarkable in appearance.
His afterimage was a brown, two-faced Buddha statue, hands clasped before its chest, each face bearing a different expression.
But even more unassuming was Ren Water.
His afterimage was simply black; indistinct and lacking any defining features.
Below were the five women. Ignoring appearance, Gui Water's afterimage was pure blue, unlike Ren Water's.
Yi Wood's afterimage was cyan—a lighter shade of blue.
Ding Fire's afterimage was a pale purple, its light subdued, unlike Bing Fire's blazing red.
The only two with the same color were Wu Earth and Ji Earth; their afterimages were brown, but the latter's was darker.
Finally, Xin Metal; her afterimage was white.
So when Naira Sorkin called them a rainbow squadron, it wasn't an exaggeration.
To this day, Naira Sorkin distinguished them by their colors.
"Ten against one? Do you consider yourselves righteous?"
Geng Metal glared. "Ten against one, even twenty against one today, we are the righteous!"
Jia Wood's expression was indifferent. "We're not children; stop talking about righteousness and evil."
Bing Fire raised his hand; the massive bull-headed afterimage behind him began swinging chains. "First, we are soldiers. We only follow orders. Righteousness and evil… let others carve that on our gravestones."
Naira Sorkin felt a cold sweat. None of the ten were individually exceptionally powerful, but together, they were a different story.
Unless one possessed absolute attributes or bug-level abilities, no 3rd Step could possibly stand against these ten.
Naira Sorkin was a standard 3rd Step. Facing these ten, even a favorable outcome was impossible.
"I was Kitsune's right-hand and chief commander. No leniency?" Naira Sorkin said.
"Rebellious commander should be immediately crucified and cremated."
"Sigh…"
Naira Sorkin suddenly sighed. "Then there's no other way."
"Celestial Beast, attack him!"
The Celestial Beast suddenly lunged from behind Deca, hurtling towards Ding Fire like a missile!
"Watch out!"
Wu Earth reacted first; his Buddha afterimage struck out at the Celestial Beast, which met the blow head-on.
Boom!
A deafening roar echoed. Wu Earth was instantly flung away!
The Celestial Beast's power was clearly superior; Wu Earth was like a grasshopper against a cart—he injured himself!
The good news was that Ding Fire successfully evaded the Celestial Beast's surprise attack thanks to Wu Earth's intervention.
"The dog's here!"
"Dog spotted!"
"Jia Wood, Ji Earth, capture Naira Sorkin! We'll take care of 011!"
…
The frontline battle raged; commands echoed from the rear; the O5 Council sweated profusely; Zero leisurely read the newspaper.
Or so it seemed.
His left eye pulsed; having witnessed the True Ancestor's battle with the Principal Starry, he immediately arrived in the deepest Hell.
He submerged his consciousness into a black sea; soon, the world inverted.
Ancient fortresses and cities hung in the sky, the endless dark sea below. Everything was upside down.
In the largest of these ancient fortresses, a middle-aged man with a human appearance was elegantly dining.
Suddenly, a sheepskin scroll appeared before him.
The middle-aged man clapped, the scroll unfurling to reveal a single line of text.
If you die, what becomes of our contract, Bael?
Bael removed the napkin from his neck. "My otherworldly friend, before you ask that question, did you consider this?"
"I am an immortal demon."
"Unlike those frail humans, I surpass even the Ancient Gods. I am stronger than any life form on this planet."
"My existence predates even the Ancient Gods. Life on this world should be grateful; I am a benevolent and knowledgeable demon."
As the Demon King Bael recounted his history, Zero on Earth received a message.
This was his method of communication with that world.
Zero had learned the language and writing system of that world.
Yes, Zero had self-studied the language, unlike the True Ancestor, who could accomplish it instantaneously with his abilities.
For him, it wasn't difficult; patience was all it took.
Zero was fluent in many languages; researching different cultures and their languages was one of his few hobbies.
Learning the otherworldly language was a necessary prerequisite.
Mei had initiated the invasion of the other world, orchestrated by Zero.
Without Zero discovering that world and its coordinates, there would be no invasion.
But Zero felt no remorse. While not an extremist nationalist, the lives of those outside Earth were inconsequential to him.
He wasn't a saint; he didn't believe in saving all humans, regardless of their world.
Even if that world faced calamity because of him, so what?
What does it matter to me?
Everyone has their own scales, their own biases.
No one is perfect; everyone's scales will always lean towards their self-interest.
If you weigh the inhabitants of another world against Earth's humans, Earth's humans would undoubtedly be heavier.
But would Zero invade another world for a pointless war? No.
Unless Mei ordered it; then there would be no choice.
But Mei's invasion did affect Zero.
If that world were destroyed, Zero would have to find another, and there was no guarantee of similar success.
If unlucky, Zero might take a very long time to find his next world.
Since Mei began her invasion, Zero had been silently observing.
He watched as one powerful being after another fell in that world, a world seemingly heading towards its end.
Demon King Bael's death wouldn't be far off.
Zero's demonic power originated from him. After making a pact with this 5th Step being, Zero's physical strength directly jumped to the upper 3rd Step.
In that world's terms, he was Zero's master.
Masters were powerful beings who granted others strength, strength always obtained at a cost.
What was Zero's price?
Two things.
First, after death, Zero's soul would belong entirely to Bael.
However, given the distance between worlds, whether Bael could claim it was another matter.
Second, Zero would perform a service for Bael—something ethical and within Zero's capabilities.
The demonic pact was unbreakable; violation would nullify the pact's effects.
Simply put, his demonic power would vanish.
To this point, Bael hadn't revealed the task he wanted Zero to perform.
"Think quickly; you don't have much time left."
Receiving Zero's message, Bael looked thoughtful. "You seem to know what I'll face next. Care to enlighten me, my friend?"
"Can I consider this part of the pact?"
"Ah, I thought we were friends. I didn't expect you to calculate the use of our pact."
"Let's just say, you're well-suited to be a demon."
"Thank you for the encouragement, but you're the demon."
"Naturally; I was born a demon."
Their cryptic conversation was brief; Zero quickly shifted to the main topic.
"I once studied at the High Tower and met the Supreme One. He was almost a mentor to me, but he's about to die."
Bael chuckled. "I suspect a misunderstanding."
"Only a handful of people in this world understand the truth, and the High Tower Master is one of them."
"He's greater than his teachers and parents. He dared to peek into the cosmos and obtain the answers."
"But he's intelligent. He never revealed the so-called truth, burying the secret and the answer deep within his heart."
"He who knows the truth does not die easily."
"Where did you get that conclusion?" Zero asked.
Bael: "He glimpsed the door to truth; the source of all power."
...
Otherworld.
The battle at the magic academy neared its end. Principal Starry descended from the sky, Alice charging with a massive scythe, repeatedly striking at him!
Principal Starry conjured an invisible, crystalline shield with one hand, and with the other, swung his staff, unleashing a crescent-shaped falling star spell!
The True Ancestor lunged forward, his right hand transforming into a crimson drill, tearing through Principal Starry's shield!
"Playtime's over. Die!"
The crimson drill pierced Principal Starry's chest, creating a gaping wound!
Slash! Slash!
Blood gushed; Principal Starry's eyes glazed over.
Splash!
The True Ancestor retracted his hand; the blood-drenched arm, which had been a drill, transformed back into a hand.
At that moment, countless black wraiths materialized on the ground!
These wraiths, with skeletal bodies, eerily clung to Principal Starry, coalescing into massive skeletal wings on his back!
They swirled around his body, forming a ghastly shroud of spectral bone.
What was this?
Before the True Ancestor could react, a massive hand emerged from Principal Starry's skeletal wings, forming a fist that slammed into the True Ancestor!
Bang!
The True Ancestor was sent flying backward, tumbling through the air before stopping!
Principal Starry, however, still had a large hole in his chest.
The wound wasn't closed, yet no blood flowed; thick black smoke continuously poured from the hole. What was happening?
Principal Starry cracked his neck, then snapped his staff in two!
He tossed the broken staff aside, tearing off his robe to reveal his muscular physique!
His body was covered in strange magical runes and obscure patterns; a terrifying aura emanated from him.
"I thought I wouldn't use this power, but here we are."
Alice was shocked. "Hey, hey, hey, this old man's a mage, right? What's with this physique?"
Crimson light flashed in the True Ancestor's eyes; his body instantly dissolved into countless streams of blood, attacking Principal Starry!
Blood Strike!
Faced with the torrent of blood, Principal Starry punched out, unleashing a powerful blast of energy that dispersed the blood!
"I recall my youth; I wanted to be a warrior. But fate's cruel irony made me a mage."
"If I recall correctly, the last time I used my fists was ten years ago, when I fought that brat Achilles."
Principal Starry then slapped his hand to the side, grabbing the coalesced form of the True Ancestor's face!
He held the True Ancestor's face, black smoke billowing from his hand as he punched, shattering the True Ancestor's body!
This wasn't right!
This old man wasn't a mage!
Principal Starry was a warrior, but not solely a warrior.
His punch, though it didn't kill the True Ancestor, shattered the True Ancestor's worldview.
A frail-looking old man, whose ripped clothes revealed a surprisingly muscular physique?
Was that a case of being thin under his clothes?
That was too much.
"You… a mage… without magic… without a staff?"
"Is magic only cast with staffs? Is magic so inconvenient?"
"Therefore, my every punch is physical magic."
Principal Starry couldn't help but think of his favorite forty-meter staff.
If his teacher hadn't said it would damage the High Tower Master's image, he wouldn't have this problem.
This was his true self. If he didn't need to maintain the image of a traditional mage, he wouldn't use this toothpick of a staff.
Could this staff kill people?
Achilles, when he first became a legend, had challenged him.
The victory wasn't decided by magic, but by Principal Starry's unexpected punch, which completely dazed Achilles.
"If you ask what is truth, my fist is the truth."
The True Ancestor looked up; dawn approached, the Blood Moon waning.
He hadn't expected this from the old man. "I miscalculated. But I'm more curious about that layer on your body."
The True Ancestor was referring to the spectral shroud on Principal Starry; it seemed like a layer of spiritual energy.
What was it? The accumulated resentment of countless souls.
It provided both spiritual and physical protection.
They were the spirits of past High Tower mages. This wasn't necromancy or an artifact's effect; it was a curse.
Upon death, the souls of past High Tower Masters were sealed within vials.
These Soul-Sealing vials were part of a cursed ritual. The imprisoned souls fostered resentment; the stronger the mage's mental power in life, the more terrifying the resentment.
Each new Master, upon ascension, underwent a ritual to transfer the curse.
When the Master's life was threatened, the ritual activated, releasing the vengeful spirits.
The spirits formed a spectral shroud.
This shroud also sustained the cursed one's life.
The runes and patterns etched onto Principal Starry's body were inflicted by his teacher during the ritual. Similar to tattoos with a dark twist.
Seeing Principal Starry's silence, the True Ancestor shifted his gaze to Principal Starry's back.
"Friendly reminder; your mages are being annihilated."
Principal Starry turned; his back was littered with corpses. The mages, now Vampires, licked the blood from their hands, sneering.
"Headmaster, your…"
"Forgive us, Supreme One. This is the inevitable direction."
"There's no way to stop it. This is fate; there's no need to resist. Fate is inescapable. Join us, Supreme One. The academy is gone."
"If the academy still existed, it would be a Vampire academy."
Seeing this, Principal Starry's fists clenched.
"I should have seen this coming… it's been so long."
"The academy has reached its end, and I'm too old."
"This is the direction of the age."
The unstoppable tide was engulfing the world.
"I should have known. Even without the other world, we would have reached our end. This was predetermined the day I saw the truth."
"Perhaps this is the world's punishment for rejecting the power offered by the door to truth."
"But I have no regrets."
The truth of the world was cruel; even those with strong mental fortitude couldn't accept it.
Those who saw the truth, throughout history, either went mad or were shattered.
The Broken King's madness was the perfect example, but some, like Principal Starry, preferred self-deception to accepting the so-called truth.
Principal Starry closed his eyes and sighed. "Ah…"
Alice attacked. "Giving up, huh? Fine. At least you're sensible."
The massive scythe swung down towards Principal Starry's neck, but he remained motionless, accepting his fate.
"Truth… is a death sentence."
"And I cannot face that truth. Therefore, I will not live to see that day."
Principal Starry uttered his final words. Just as the scythe was about to strike, a figure descended from the sky, intercepting the blade!
"Young lady, spare his life."
The newcomer was a man in black robes with silver hair.
Upon seeing him, the True Ancestor frowned. "009?"
009 flicked his fingers, deflecting the scythe from Alice's grasp. He then turned to Principal Starry.
"Such talent wasted. Why not join me in another world and help bring about a great industrial revolution?"
Principal Starry opened his eyes; he didn't understand what 009 was saying.
Arthur, twirling his dagger, arrived with the half-elf Jena.
"Translate."
Jena sighed. "He says you possess great talent and abilities; it would be a waste to die."
"He wishes to invite you to participate in his plans, to make a great contribution to the world."
Great… contribution?
Principal Starry's gaze dimmed. "No matter what he wants to do, the outcome will be fruitless."
"Let him save his breath."
Jena looked at 009. "He says no matter what you do, it will be pointless."
009 was puzzled. "Why? Is this world's technology locked?
"Or is physics nonexistent?!"
But… what you're saying isn't even related…
Jena pondered how to translate.
The True Ancestor attacked. "What are you doing, 009?"
009 looked at the True Ancestor, 008. "Ah, you're here too."
"I need this person."
"What did you say?"
009 confronted 008. "This is my god's will."
"You think you can always claim my god's will?" the True Ancestor sneered.
"Indeed. Who better understands her than I?"
"You understand nothing! You're the one who understands her least!"
"You only deserve to smell my god, Lord Aurora's, farts!"
Watching the bickering pair, Principal Starry, Alice, Jena, and Arthur shared a similar expression.
"What are they even doing?" Arthur asked.
Alice, watching the two fluffy figures, clapped her hands.
"They must be brothers. Yes, definitely."
Calling them brothers wasn't entirely unreasonable.
After all, 009 was derived from 008; the immortality attribute came from 008. Both were fluffy, and their designations differed only by one.
Calling them brothers didn't seem so strange.
If anyone was most bewildered, it was Principal Starry.
He was prepared to die, then suddenly some white-haired individuals appeared, forbidding him to die, and they started fighting.
He had no idea what was happening.
But from their words, they were clearly allies, invaders from another world.
If they were allies, why the conflict?
Perhaps the invaders weren't entirely united; some force bound them together… somehow?
Whatever.
Just get it over with and kill me already.
As if reading his mind, Jena quietly approached. "Why do you wish to die?"
Huh?
Principal Starry looked at Jena. "Half-elf, unsurprising."
"As the continent's foremost mage, I can't fathom why you'd cooperate with those monsters."
"And you?"
"Why are you with them?"
"I… was threatened."
Darkness flickered in Principal Starry's eyes. "Believe me, if you knew the truth, you wouldn't question my actions."
"Under the weight of that cruel truth, one either embraces the world's darkness and falls, or clings to faith and faces madness."
"Or, like me, you numb yourself."
"Over time, I've focused my mind on my studies, avoiding those thoughts."
"This self-imposed numbness is nothing but self-deception and hypocrisy."
Jena didn't understand, but she was shocked.
Principal Starry was telling the truth; elves were acutely sensitive to emotions in speech, and she knew he was being honest.
"So, what is this truth?"
"That truth… knowing it won't benefit you, if you still wish to face this world with vigor."
So, let it be.
Meanwhile, 008 and 009 continued their argument.
"Why do you think my god didn't give you orders?!"
"Because my god knows that even without orders, I can understand her intentions, there's no need for unnecessary words!"
"You're full of hot air! Not giving you orders means you're an idiot; my god's too lazy to explain to you!"
"Stop the noise! If you're not happy, let's fight!"
"You two look like a couple of old women arguing in the street," Arthur chimed in.
Hmm…
That's true.
No, that's ridiculous!
Both were practically immortal; a lifetime of fighting wouldn't yield a result!
Just as the scene became awkward, a colossal monster emerged from the sea, approaching them!
It was Hydra.
"If you can't decide who gets it, give it to us."
Sea King?
No, the voice was wrong; the appearance was also different…
008, the True Ancestor, was about to express his intense hatred for his enemy, then realized that this wasn't Chino.
Who was this?
Before anyone could answer, two more colossal monsters emerged from the sea!
Hydra retreated; Vespa stood beside her, Siren perched on his back.
Octopus face Chino stood at the center; they were all half-submerged.
The moment these three colossal monsters appeared, the bright sky darkened!
Torrential rain poured down, accompanied by deafening thunder!
They seemed to form an insurmountable wall, their terrifying silhouettes illuminated by lightning, resembling gods!
Everyone present felt their hearts freeze; their minds went blank.
Who am I?
Where am I?
What is this?
Even 008 and 009 were stunned.
What kind of nightmarish setup was this?
A family of ocean behemoths?
Principal Starry was the first to recover from his shock.
He had seen this giant octopus before.
Ancient Gods!
Without a doubt, this was an evil god from another dimension!
The True Ancestor was the next to recover; he instantly recognized Chino!
The hatred was ingrained in his bones.
Even if Chino were ashes, he would recognize him. This was Chino!
The meeting of enemies ignited a triple vengeance in the three-in-one True Ancestor!
002, at last, I meet you again!
Without hesitation, the True Ancestor charged past Principal Starry, heading straight for Chino!
"You will pay for my son and wife!"
Chino's expression remained calm. "They live with you; why should I pay for their deaths?"
"From the day we became 008, we died!"
"The only thing keeping us alive is the hope of one day tearing you to shreds!"
Seeing the enraged True Ancestor, Chino sighed and unleashed a spirit attack!
A terrifying spirit wave surged, like a finger of divine judgment, striking 008 in the head!
Simultaneously, the True Ancestor felt his limbs go numb; the world spun, and he plunged into the deep sea!
The sensation of suffocation was immediate; countless tentacles lashed out, dragging him towards the abyss!
Despite his desperate struggles, he couldn't escape; his limbs felt heavy, pulling him deeper and deeper, the suffocation and water pressure intensifying!
The light faded; the terrifying pressure threatened to sever every nerve, crushing every inch of his flesh!
The giant octopus's face loomed before him, its gaze cold and contemptuous.
"Since when did you think you could fight me?"
"You can't even approach me. That's the difference between a 5th Step and a 4th Step. Try harder. At least don't make your opponent pity your helplessness."
!!!
The True Ancestor's eyes burned redder; blood even welled up in the whites of his eyes!
Chino's mockery was masterful; in the cultivation world, it could shatter an enemy's Dao heart.
All this happened within the True Ancestor's mind.
Externally, a single glance from Chino caused him to scream, blood spraying from his eyes as he fell from the sky!
"AAAAAH!!!"
A scream of utter agony and madness.
Hydra watched the True Ancestor writhe in pain, a hint of pity in her expression. "You didn't have to go that far."
"Hmm…"
Snap.
With a thought from Chino, the True Ancestor was released from the Spiritual World!
He stared blankly at the sky, his body feeling shattered; he felt boneless, a mere puddle of blood.
Chino ignored him, subduing the remaining individuals with a thought!
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Everyone knelt, faces contorted in madness. "What… is this…?"
Chino grabbed Principal Starry. "I'm interested in hearing your version of the world's truth. Tell me everything you know."
"Of course, if you don't, that's fine too."
"Wait, you can't take him!"
009 scrambled to his feet. "He's coming with me!"
"With you?"
Chino suddenly laughed.
"You know, 009, whether you're immortal or indestructible, that only applies to your physical form. I think you understand that better than anyone."
"Others might not be able to harm you, but for me, killing you is trivial; it's simply a matter of whether I want to or not."
"If one day you feel you've lived long enough, you can tell me, and I'll grant you death."
Chino's large eyes became infinitely empty yet terrifying, as if able to see through one's soul!
For the first time since becoming a monster, 009 felt fear of death!
Death—such a foreign concept.
Could 009 die? Was it even conceivable?
Whether he wanted to or not, it was now a reality!
Chino had the power to kill 009!
As he said, 009 was only physically immortal. His soul wasn't strong, weaker even than a 4th Step.
Chino could crush him with a single thought, like squashing a fly!
"Kill… me?"
"I… am immortal…"
009 wavered. "My immortality… my indestructibility… is an absolute attribute… given by my god…"
"Immortality. Impressive?"
Chino gave him a look that showed 009 Hell itself, and… death.
But Chino didn't kill him; he stopped at the last moment.
Still, 009 was drenched in sweat, his pupils constricted. Chino seemed to want to say more, but Hydra intervened.
"Must you act like a villain?"
"I…"
Enough.
Chino waved his hand; the three colossal monsters retreated from Moonlight Island.
They took Principal Starry with them; no one dared to, nor could they, stop them.
Even without his companions, Chino alone could decimate everyone present a thousand times over.
Among equals, superior spirit and ability always triumph over physical strength.
And this was a superior against an inferior?
With the current scarcity of spirit-type monsters, Chino was a absolute monster.
...
Long after Chino left, the True Ancestor remained prostrate on the ground.
His mind flickered with images of the Angel and then Chino's cold face.
Again…
The same thing!
"5th Step!"
"Another 5th Step!!"
Thump!
The True Ancestor punched the ground. Another 5th Step; the same situation, the same helplessness!
The same effortless annihilation!
Absolute power suppression! The Angel and Chino were nightmares he couldn't escape!
Fear? Anger? Resentment?
So what? The world is cruel. Swallows don't build nests in poor houses; misfortune finds the weak; weakness is the original sin.
If you're weak, even your breath is wrong.
If you're strong, everything you do is righteous.
The True Ancestor deeply regretted his failure to become a second 5th Step.
Despite his meticulous plans, Chino had effortlessly stolen his victory!
The True Ancestor's face shifted, morphing between female, youthful, and its original form.
His face reflected anger, fear, and hatred!
Only greater power could grant freedom!
The True Ancestor's desire for power reached its peak.
To shatter the Angel's smile, to destroy Chino's arrogance—he needed to become a 5th Step; he had to become a 5th Step!
He would stop at nothing, even death!
Like the True Ancestor, the immortal 009 fell into deep self-doubt.
His vaunted immortality had been effortlessly shattered!
Chino had crushed his confidence and pride, obliterating even the last vestige of hope!
009 had always comforted himself with the belief that he was immortal, unkillable.
Now, he could no longer maintain that faith.
The dream ended; a being capable of killing him had emerged.
Without a return to Earth, without Dreamland, everything would end. Chino was the ultimate victor; they were the losers.
Conquering another world?
Ha! To be ruled by Chino afterward?
"Ultimately, I was simply not strong enough. Relying on fragmentation, on immortality—wasn't this outcome inevitable?"
009 had awakened; he finally understood his predicament.
And 008… no, he wasn't alone.
Arthur, clinging to his "I'm still alive, so I'm still celebrating" mentality, resumed his usual cheerful demeanor.
But 009 and the True Ancestor could no longer smile.
Without speaking, they silently separated. They had both come for Principal Starry.
But both had failed.
If there was a victor in this affair, it was Chino.
...
Chino, having taken Principal Starry, directly invaded his mind, searching for the so-called truth of the world.
He didn't intend to ask; Principal Starry clearly wouldn't want to speak.
Why bother? It was easier to find the answers directly in his memories.
Chino's consciousness wandered through the ocean of Principal Starry's memories. He saw many fragmented images.
Some were very old, from when Principal Starry was a child. Some were missing, as Principal Starry had forgotten many things.
Memories he couldn't recall were invisible to Chino.
After searching for a long time, Chino finally found the segment he sought.
This memory seemed to have occurred twenty-one years ago.
Principal Starry was currently 106 years old, relatively long-lived in this world.
As Chino unveiled the memory, he saw a vast, boundless cosmos.
The constellation structure differed from Earth's. The sun, though a star, was significantly smaller and further from other celestial bodies, making this world extremely cold.
The solar system appeared unremarkable.
However, planets the size of Pluto existed; they were called the Four Cardinal Stars, corresponding to Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire.
At that time, Principal Starry was engrossed in his study of the cosmos. He attempted to find the edge of this star field.
His consciousness left the star system, venturing into the interstellar void beyond the solar system.
Beyond the star system, everything seemed… similar.
The same images, the same cosmic expanse, the same excitement.
The stars seemed motionless, unchanging for eons.
Just as Principal Starry was about to give up, a colossal planet suddenly spun into view!
Yes, this planet was visibly orbiting the entire star system!
The planet was entirely white, encircled by five nebular rings; it closely resembled ancient descriptions of Heaven, aligning with the Broken King's depiction.
Therefore…
"Is this Heaven?"
Just as Principal Starry was struck with awe, the planet's core cracked!
Revealing a massive gaping maw!