After Noah entered the Heaven, the attacks of the Dark Tide creations grew weaker and weaker. With the help of the Black Shores and the people from Ragunna, the battle situation in the Hunting Grounds finally stabilized.
"The people on Septimont's side look much healthier than the people from Ragunna."
Carlotta and the others gathered at the temporary camp and talked among themselves.
"Strange. Didn't they get pulled into the Mirror Heaven?"
"Of course they did."
Iuno put away her moon bow and stepped into the conversation.
"It's just that we had Resonators who could suppress the Dark Tide creations inside the Heaven. That's why the people of Septimont escaped disaster."
"That's right." Augusta also nodded and walked over. She looked at everyone and sincerely expressed her thanks.
"Thank you all for coming to Septimont to help. Even though Septimont and Ragunna have not been in contact for a long time, in the face of disaster we are all comrades of Rinascita. There is no need for anyone to feel restrained."
"Also, we are very curious. What happened on Ragunna's side inside the Mirror Heaven?"
"The Threnodian!" Brant spoke first and pointed out the true culprit of everything.
"Our Troupe of Fools was at the port of Ragunna when we saw the Threnodian revive. It swallowed the sky with the Dark Tide, then summoned a mirror. After that, everyone entered that so-called Mirror Heaven."
Carlotta: "That's exactly what happened. Inside the mirror world, even when we weren't attacked by Tacet Discords, I could still feel our consciousness being continuously plundered."
Phoebe: "It was Mr. Noah who borrowed the lantern from the Order and broke the mirror that locked our consciousness."
Cantarella: "So that's how it was? Then how was the Threnodian driven back?"
"Let me explain the entire process for you."
The tall white flying horse walked over slowly. Imperator looked around. Its gaze swept past Zani, past Lupa, past…
Its gaze suddenly lowered and swept past Carlotta and Roccia.
Then its gaze rose again and finally swept past Ciaccona and the others.
It did not have much time left. Noah had indeed entered the Dark Tide Heaven. If Noah did not come out soon, then It could only hope these people would help Noah.
Thinking this, Imperator finally spoke and calmly explained everything that had happened in Rinascita.
"This matter is a long story."
Carlotta: "Skip it."
...
Brilliant light fell onto the Stygian Lake and reflected eerie, gloomy colors. There was no flow of wind inside the Heaven within the Dark Tide. Only low mutterings occasionally drifted over.
When Noah finally rowed the boat to the other side of the Stygian Lake, that familiar black-robed figure was already standing there. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's.
"Noah, I have waited for you for a long time."
"I have nothing to say to you." Noah glanced at him and brushed past his side.
The fact that this clone remained unharmed after taking a hit from Celestial Court Radiance was enough to show it was a troublesome opponent.
After crossing the Stygian Lake, the sanctuary not far away was the true core of the Heaven. Galbrena was about to enter it. He had no time to waste on Schwarzloch.
As long as the other party did not block his path, he could settle accounts with him later.
"This body is now the proxy of the Threnodian."
Schwarzloch's calm voice came from behind.
"Chat with me. As payment, I can share a bit of intelligence about the current Leviathan. Consider it a small goodwill gesture from the Fractsidus."
As his words fell, Noah indeed stopped and turned around. His expression was guarded.
"What do you know?"
"First of all, you cannot defeat Leviathan."
The black-robed figure shook his head with contempt and slowly paced. His voice was low and powerful.
"Have you ever thought about it? The previous you only managed a lucky victory by Overclocking twice, using more than half of Ragunna's steel to forge a sword, and taking advantage of Leviathan's huge body that made it hard to dodge."
"A miracle counterattack that relied so heavily on the right time and place can never be repeated a second time."
"What's more, you can no longer use that kind of Anchoring power in a short time, can you?"
Hearing this, Noah's brows locked tightly.
"If you only came to talk nonsense, then this conversation can end here."
He truly could not use Iuno's character for the time being. That was exactly why he needed to kill Leviathan before it fully recovered.
"The only thing I want to express is this: stop here, Noah."
Schwarzloch stopped walking and looked straight into Noah's eyes. His tone carried undeniable authority.
"The consciousness the Threnodian harvested earlier through the Decree-defiling Mirror of Nightmare has now been absorbed almost completely. After learning from its previous lesson, this time its body will be equal to Fleurdelys."
"The savage hard-fighting method from before will no longer work. You have already seen the power of its advanced Threnodian authority."
"Unless you also possess advanced Separation authority, you are simply no match for it."
"I know you have the ability to teleport. As long as you want to leave, you can leave at any time. So stop here. Otherwise you will die in this place."
The stated words carried a slight earnestness, but more of it was absolute certainty.
Noah remembered that someone else had once earnestly advised him to turn back and leave in the same way.
What had he said at that time?
He had said: Go home, Changli. Go home.
His thoughts returned. Noah asked:
"Is there any other intelligence?"
"No."
"Who are you to know so much?"
After dropping this classical phrase, Noah turned and left.
"Wait!" Schwarzloch quickly chased after him. A trace of anger entered his words.
"Do you not understand my words? Why do you still insist on going over there? I already said you cannot win!"
"Listen—"
Noah's expression suddenly turned cold.
"If I can win, I will fight. If I cannot win, I will still fight. I persisted all the way to this point not so I could listen to the word 'impossible' from your mouth."
"You think It is invincible. That is only what you think!"
"Even if I truly cannot defeat Leviathan, I will not sit back and watch the people of Rinascita die just like that."
Hearing Noah's stubborn words, Schwarzloch laughed in extreme anger.
"Fine. Fine. What a fine Noah. I underestimated you again. In the past I only praised your toughness and strength. Only now do I discover you are this cold and stubborn."
"Schwarzloch, your opinion has nothing to do with me."
"You really do not need to go die." Schwarzloch tried hard to persuade Noah.
"Leviathan is still the Threnodian of Rinascita's civilization in the end. As long as we let It destroy Rinascita, when It advances toward a global Lament, we will have the best chance to kill It."
"Say that again!"
Noah roared in anger.
"As long as we let It destroy Rinascita"—what a light and casual sentence that was. Yet how many lives stood behind those words?
If they allowed Leviathan to act freely, what shocking disasters would It cause?
He suddenly turned around and placed Ages of Harvest against the side of Schwarzloch's neck.
"So this is what you think. Sacrifice the lives of everyone in Rinascita to create an opening against the Threnodian."
"Abandon a small number of people to protect the majority. There is no better method than this!"
His neck clearly felt the cold of the blade, yet Schwarzloch showed no reaction. His tone grew even more forceful.
"You must admit that the core of tragedy is the essence of this world. In the face of the Lament that repeats like tidal waves, civilization and human lives are cheap and fragile."
"I understand your current feelings. After all, I was once young too, and I was once hurt. I blindly wanted to save everyone. But—people must grow up in the end."
"You need to learn to adapt to this cruel world and take the lesson of coldness. Put down that useless passion. The path you want to walk—I have walked it all. None of it succeeded!"
"Old thing, shut your mouth! The one who failed is you, not me!"
Noah's long blade chopped down fiercely, yet Schwarzloch's figure twisted like dough and avoided the strike.
His brows tightened. He chopped down with the long blade again at a tricky angle.
"Growth means becoming a better version of yourself, not becoming someone who is no longer yourself. You only treated your numbness and degeneration as what you call growth!"
"I know you will not listen to a single word—" Schwarzloch's sharp palm suddenly elongated. One hand tightly seized Ages of Harvest while the other stabbed straight toward Noah's waist and abdomen.
"So I never planned to persuade you. Today I will capture you and take you back to the Fractsidus!"
The long blade was locked. Noah decisively let go of it, retreated half a step, and with lightning speed pulled out an opal long spear.
"You bas—"
"Want to curse me?" Schwarzloch sneered. "It is already useless at this point!"
"Victory tilts toward me!"
An opal bullet shot out, yet Schwarzloch easily pinched it between two fingers. He was about to counterattack when he suddenly felt he could not move at all. He could only watch as countless opals rapidly spread across his entire body.
Wrong!
Schwarzloch's mind was greatly shocked.
What kind of ability was this? It actually controlled him so completely that he could not move!
"I will not be like you. After seeing the tragic essence of the world, I will not claim to be clear-headed and persuade others to accept it."
"Forget it—"
"I cannot be bothered to reason with you. You do not deserve to hear it!"
Six straight opal long spears were already dancing around Noah's side. The dense black muzzles firmly locked onto Schwarzloch.
"It is time—"
Noah pulled the trigger. His expression was as cold as frost.
"To say goodbye!"
Gunfire exploded. Schwarzloch's body shattered in response.
...