Elemental World.
Rhett, Manu, and Heisenberg had only exchanged a few words before returning to their room.
Rhett closed his eyes in thought, but soon felt the sensation of a tremendous impact. It was as if a giant hammer was striking the space around him. His face changed drastically as he stood up abruptly.
The next moment, he heard the sound of something tearing apart. Rhett felt an immense force sweeping in from all directions. The space around him began to fracture under the invasion of darkness, as if plunging into a nightmare.
The black mermaid, watching Rhett with suspicion, found it odd. She was holding this human in her grasp, and he hadn't even noticed her presence. If she wanted, she could end his life in an instant.
"Is this really the being my clone had warned me about, who could crush me so easily?"
"Impossible. I could wipe out beings like him with just a breath…"
She narrowed her eyes, feeling a rising anger at the thought of being deceived. Her voice, filled with power, echoed through the space, "I am the Master of Flesh and Creation. Reveal all your secrets!"
She didn't believe that the information her clone had sent was false. If it were true, then this human must possess some other extraordinary power.
In the darkness, Rhett felt himself wrapped in black mist, his five senses and spiritual perception cut off. In his haze, he vaguely heard a familiar voice, mentioning something about the "Master of Flesh and Creation"...
Suddenly, he jolted awake. The Master of Flesh and Creation? Such a ridiculous name—wasn't that the black mermaid from his last simulated space?
With the last bit of his consciousness, Rhett attempted to activate his Homeworld. And then, a sudden shift occurred.
In the dark space, a ripple spread out, and a blue light descended from the sky, piercing through the layers of black mist. In the blink of an eye, it appeared before Rhett.
"This... This is... the Blue Wheel!"
Rhett's eyes widened as he looked at the ancient wheel before him. Shrouded in light, its mysterious aura radiated power.
From what he had deduced, this might be the highest authority within his Homeworld, something even he, as the Homeworld's master, had limited control over—at least for now.
Suddenly, a familiar wail echoed from the darkness ahead.
"Master of Creation, I was wrong! Please, have mercy, spare me! Ahhh!"
The agonizing scream was all too familiar, reminding Rhett of when the blue wheel had swallowed the black merman last time. The resemblance was uncanny.
Rhett wanted to stop the wheel, hoping to extract some information from the black mermaid, but within moments, the cries were silenced.
Rhett stood in the void, feeling an odd sense of unease.
This time, the blue wheel had acted too decisively, without even asking for his input. While the wheel had been autonomous before, Rhett, as the master of the Homeworld, felt that its actions now were even more independent.
Taking a deep breath, Rhett decided to end the simulation and return to the simulated space to see what had happened. He wondered what kind of impact swallowing such a powerful enemy would have on the world.
"End simulation..." he thought to himself.
After a few silent seconds, Rhett opened his eyes in confusion. What was going on? Was the Homeworld rebelling? It wasn't responding to his command as its master?
"End the simulation!"
His heart began to race with fear. He shouted, "Homeworld, end the simulation!"
Still no response.
Rhett's breathing grew heavier, his face subtly shifting. Since activating the Homeworld, this was the first time he had encountered such a strange situation.
Was this a good thing or a bad thing?
He had no way of knowing.
Time passed—whether it was an eternity or just a moment, Rhett couldn't tell. It felt as though he had just awoken from a long slumber. When he regained clarity, the blue wheel in front of him was trembling slightly.
Rhett squinted, focusing intently. He noticed that the surface of the wheel had become clearer, revealing countless tiny planets that formed the spokes of the wheel, rotating slowly...
The immense aura radiating from it was so overwhelming that just one glance nearly made his head explode, forcing him to cough up blood.
As if it had a will of its own, the blue wheel soon blurred again, its light shining brilliantly, obscuring the patterns on its surface.
"Infinite cycles... I never thought I would awaken again…"
Just as Rhett was trying to figure out his situation, a deep, ancient voice echoed throughout the heavens, making it impossible to discern its source.
Rhett snapped to attention and fixed his gaze on the blue wheel, cautiously asking, "Who's speaking? Are you... the Homeworld?"
"The Homeworld? Let me see... Ah, I understand now. It seems a master of Chaos Essence once made some modifications here. Impressive, very impressive..."
The ancient voice paused for a few seconds before responding, sounding initially puzzled, then slightly surprised.
Rhett felt a sense of foreboding. "Are you... the true master of the Homeworld? Or are you some kind of spirit?"
The ancient voice chuckled softly.
"My origins are beyond your comprehension. I am but a traveler, wandering through the vast cosmos like a grain of sand in the river. The multiverse is but a speck, and I journey between its currents..."
Though spoken lightly, the words struck Rhett to his core. He gasped and stammered, "So... does that mean... all the previous masters of the Homeworld were... false? And everything here, you're the true controller?"
"You could say that... Though, while I slept, a particularly talented successor made some changes. But for me, it would take nothing more than a wave of my hand to undo them..." The ancient voice replied. "All of these functions still stem from me. Should I perish, this so-called simulated space would vanish without a trace."
Rhett's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he let out a bitter laugh. "I see... I've been occupying this place for all these years. I hope you can forgive my ignorance, elder."
"It's of no concern. All of this was set in motion by me. During my travels, I encountered some... accidents, and this was a contingency plan to recover. While I am weak now, once I regain my consciousness fully, I will return to my peak…"
The ancient voice continued:
"As for you, you have played a crucial role in my recovery. I always repay kindness. If you have any requests, feel free to ask. Whether it's to become the ruler of this universe or something else, I can easily make it happen!"
"I..." Rhett hesitated before asking, "Does this mean I will no longer have the chance to return here?"
The space fell silent for a moment before the ancient voice replied, "That's correct. I must move on to other universes to heal my wounds. The future is unpredictable. If you wish, you may accompany me. But… are you willing to leave your family behind?"
Rhett's expression turned distant, struggling to process such a monumental change.
After a long silence, the blue wheel patiently waited, not interrupting. Finally, after an internal battle, Rhett took a deep breath and smiled in acceptance.
"I was fortunate to gain this opportunity, but losing it is my fate."
His heart suddenly felt light and at ease. "Elder, I've made my decision!"
The ancient voice chuckled, a trace of amusement in its tone. "It seems you've come to terms with it. The ability to take up or let go is an essential trait for anyone who wishes to reach the pinnacle. No matter what choice you make, I will ensure it is granted."
"I wish… to return to the time when Nicole had just given birth to Thales. I want to be together with my family."
The ancient voice laughed heartily. "I knew you would choose that…"
Rhett cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, using a salute from his previous life. "Thank you, elder, for granting my wish. If I could receive some protection to prevent any future tragedies, that would be even better."
The blue wheel trembled slightly.
The ancient voice sounded melancholic. "Very well, I'll give you a great gift. But preventing tragedies... that will depend on your own efforts…"
Rhett raised an eyebrow, feeling there was more to the statement, but before he could dwell on it, a terrifying vortex appeared, sucking him in.
The space fell silent once again. Within the blue wheel, a faint soul shadow floated in the air. The surrounding space was bright and flickering, like countless mirrors reflecting various images. Within each of these scenes, a figure resembling Rhett could be seen.
The soul shadow was ancient in appearance, but upon closer inspection, it bore a striking resemblance to Rhett in his middle years.
He murmured softly:
"This simulation still fell short... When will I finally find the way to save Nicole…"
As a new mirror appeared on the wall, projecting a fresh scene, the soul shadow of Rhett dimmed further.
He closed his eyes, slowly drifting back into slumber, hoping… that this time, there would be some surprise…
The mirror's image began to unfold:
Night.
A bitter cold wind howled through the air, like a demon roaring.
Heavy snowflakes fell from the sky, and a thick layer of frost covered the entire town of Young Eagle.
The town was silent and cold. All the shops had closed, and the streets were deserted.
Looking west, less than a kilometer away, stood the imposing fortress of Deep Rock...
(The End of the Story)