novelraw Chapter 398: Infinity
Chapter 398: Infinity
Hearing this, Fisher turned to look at the shore where the small boat was moored. The exact material of the dilapidated ruins there was completely indistinguishable, seemingly having been entirely corroded by some peculiar substance, turning into an uneven texture resembling seabed coral. Renee stood up from the boat and tentatively stepped on incomplete architecture to see if it was sturdy, waiting for several seconds before standing firmly upon it.
"Right here is fine. This place was once the central location of the Sanctuary. Projecting back from here has a high probability of allowing you to directly encounter the Angels. Although the World Tree can also help you, she cannot move her massive body in the slightest, and all affairs are basically handled by the Elves. They follow a rule called 'Li' and are extremely opposed to Overstepping, so it will be quite difficult to manage... In comparison, the Angels are much purer."
Fisher attentively memorized everything Renee said. On the other hand, Eimhart, who was floating in midair beside him, inexplicably puffed up his book body even though Renee's words could hardly be considered high praise, and said,
"Of course! Those stinking Elves are so bad and love to act pretentious; how could they compare to the Holy Progeny lords... Wait, if you're sending Fisher back later, what about me? I want to go with Fisher too! My goodness, this is going back to the past! Will our actions there affect the present? I mean, for example, if this guy kills someone there who was supposed to live until now, will the world change because of it?"
Renee looked at him, tapping her red lips as she thought, seemingly a bit troubled.
"Mm, this is indeed a problem... But, I don't know what will happen either. I only have a cursory understanding of the Rules established by the Gods. Furthermore, the Rule of Destiny is the most abstract among the rules created by the several deities, so I am not too clear on how it interacts with the present either. However, to be safe, it's best not to do too many unrelated things. Just focus on helping Fisher meet the Chain of Heaven and escape Death."
Eimhart nodded as if he understood but didn't entirely. Then, he extremely excitedly returned to Fisher's shoulder and muttered,
"Huh, then can we specify a specific time to return to? Return to before the Sanctuary was destroyed, so I can help the Holy Progenies stop the Sanctuary from falling, and I won't have to wander all over the world like this anymore... Ah, but then I wouldn't meet Fisher... What should I do..."
Fisher ignored Eimhart beside him, who was clearly already caught up in the anxieties of a time paradox despite having done nothing yet. Taking stock of the dilapidated ruins around them as he followed Renee ashore, he confirmed the sequence of events to escape Death.
"In other words, I need to return to the Sanctuary in the past, figure out a way to meet the Chain of Heaven, and have him help me escape Death, right? But he is a Twentieth-Tier existence; there's no reason for him to help me for no reason. Do you have any ideas, Renee?""Mm, I roughly have some hearsay regarding the Chain of Heaven and his Holy Progenies. The Sanctuary isn't directly managed by the Chain of Heaven. On the contrary, he doesn't appear in the Sanctuary at all, nor does he allow the Angels to seek an audience with him. All of his will and commands are executed through an Angel named [Pandora]. Held in the hands of this Angel is a [Holy Grail] named 'Azevanna', which means [Wish-Granting Machine of Desires]."
Renee tapped her cheek and continued speaking to Fisher,
"By completing the Chain of Heaven's commands and refining their forging techniques day after day, every Angel will accumulate wishes in the Holy Grail. When the wishes within the Grail are full, it will automatically use the power of the Chain of Heaven to directly grant a wish for the wisher, which naturally includes helping you escape Death."
Fisher stroked his chin and asked doubtfully,
"But this Holy Grail is a reward bestowed upon the Angels by the Chain of Heaven. As a human, it's unlikely I can escape Death by accumulating wishes, right... Besides, the Sanctuary is the residence of the Angels. It's already extremely dangerous for me to appear there, let alone getting close to them to accumulate wishes. I'm afraid I would be killed by them the moment I arrive at the Sanctuary."
Renee snapped her fingers. Under Fisher's watchful eyes, she took out a purple, teardrop-shaped item. Smiling, she said to Fisher,
"Idiot, the Angel-kin are a Mythical Species. Their true numbers are very sparse. Based on the life restrictions set by Ramastia, their population is probably less than a hundred. Yet the Sanctuary is a very massive place. For their convenience and forging needs, there are quite a few dependent species and slaves under the Angels' command. As long as you appear beneath the Sanctuary, you have a high probability of being captured and put to work as a slave. Moreover, with me here, why would you foolishly try to accumulate wishes..."
"Here, this is for you. Although it's slightly akin to cheating, as long as you toss this thing into the Holy Grail, the wishes within the Holy Grail will instantly turn into an inestimable, massive quantity, and it will instantly be able to grant your wish... Therefore, all you need to do is see the Holy Grail, throw this thing inside, and then detonate the Sigil on your chest to return the moment the wish is granted. That's roughly the process."
Fisher accepted the purple teardrop-shaped item Renee handed over and held it up to observe. Unsurprisingly, within that teardrop was another horizontally lying 'figure-eight' symbol. It seemed this item was also imbued with Renee's power. He tucked this item into his inner pocket and said to Renee,
"I understand. Thank you, Renee."
"Don't celebrate too early. Although the Angel-kin cannot be considered cruel, they are still a Mythical Species no matter what. You must be careful, careful, and careful again when dealing with them. Remember everything I said. Plucking the strings of strings of destiny to bring you back to the past also means I cannot watch over you, nor will I have any way of knowing your situation. You can only rely on yourself, understand?"
Eimhart flew over again at this time, looking pitifully at the Renee and Fisher before him. After hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke up,
"Wait, I want to go with Fisher too. I don't want to be separated from him... Plus, even if there's no way to change the ending of the great Holy Progenies, I still want to see what the true Sanctuary looks like. I actually don't remember any of it, how strange..."
Fisher glanced at the pitiful-looking Eimhart before him. Having no other choice, he could only grab him and tuck him into his inner pocket, saying to Renee,
"If possible, bring him along too. I essentially know absolutely nothing about the Angels, and he is a creation of the Angels. Having him as a guide should make things significantly smoother."
"Mm, I don't know if I can bring him along as well either. We can try it later. Alright, I can feel the human ships getting closer and closer. Before it gets lively here, let's begin. Sit here, I am about to cast the spell... Before that, is there anything you want to say to me?"
As instructed, Eimhart hurriedly burrowed into Fisher's pocket. Fisher also sat on the ground, watching a speck of deep purple light kindle in the hands of the Renee before him, and he hurriedly spoke,
"Renee, wait..."
"Hm?"
"I will return very soon. You promised me that you wouldn't leave after you came back this time, right?"
"Idiot..."
Renee blanked slightly. Looking at the Fisher before her, the deep purple light in her hands faded bit by bit. Then, she smiled and came over to crouch in front of Fisher. Her breath, carrying that familiar faint fragrance, blew straight onto Fisher's cheek.
"I'm not leaving. I promised you, I will wait right here for you to come back."
"Mm..."
Fisher nodded in reassurance, yet the Renee in front of him still didn't retreat. She simply leaned quietly against Fisher's cheek like this. After hesitating for a moment, she suddenly leaned in even closer, leaving a soft, fragrant kiss on his face, much to Fisher's surprise.
That gentle, mellow kiss lingered for several seconds. Even though it was merely on the cheek, the sensation seemed to penetrate deep into Fisher's Soul, causing his spine to tingle.
This seemed to be the first time Renee had kissed him on her own initiative...
"Haa..."
Just as Fisher froze stiff in a daze, Renee withdrew her lips slightly, her voice becoming extremely low,
"Y-you better not think this isn't enough... I'm... a bit embarrassed... So just like this."
Fisher chuckled dumbfoundedly, but gently shook his head. Grasping the hand Renee had placed on his chest, he whispered,
"It's enough, Renee."
"Mm... M-make sure you focus on finding the Holy Grail when you get there. I won't be able to see you there, so if you dare to go looking for other ladies, I'll... Anyway, just like that. Stop talking, it's all your fault for saying those things earlier, I'm feeling very jealous right now."
"Alright."
Fisher nodded. Seeing Renee's expression at this moment, he only felt that as she spoke, her black hair continuously brushed lightly against his cheek, tickling him immensely. Yet, no matter what, he was unwilling to let go of her hand, wishing to stay by her side just like this...
Amidst this quiet tenderness, Eimhart, from whom no sound had been heard for a long time, crawled out from Fisher's inner pocket with dead-fish eyes, unable to help but speak up,
"Um, you two, are you done yet? I'm already Unable to Wait to return to the Sanctuary. Say, do you think there will be..."
"Shut up."
"...Oh, alright, you guys continue."
Eimhart quietly crawled back into Fisher's pocket again, infuriating Fisher so much he wished he could yank him out and teach him a fierce lesson.
This bad guy was using idioms haphazardly, ruining the original atmosphere.
"Pfft..."
Renee didn't mind in the slightest. Covering her mouth, she had already retreated a few steps to stand in front of Fisher. The deep purple light in her hands kindled once again, and she spoke,
"Alright, that's enough. If this goes on any longer, I won't be able to bear parting... Close your eyes, I'm going to cast the spell."
"Alright."
Fisher took one last look at the beautiful black-haired lady before him and tightly closed his eyes, hearing only the thunder of the Stormsea rumbling around him Just as Before.
Now there was a clear prospect of dispelling his Death, and he was about to set off on a journey to the Sanctuary. However, his previous thought of wanting to see those several ladies had still not perished.
He had already met Alagina and knew she was safe and sound. But as for the others, although he had prepared a contingency plan for Elizabeth, he still hadn't been able to see her again in the end; not to mention Raphaela, Jasmine, and Eliog...
Having not seen them for a long time, the Fisher at this moment probably wanted to see them as well.
Once he escaped Death and returned, he wanted to go see them and make up for the regrets left behind before.
Also, regarding the World-Ending Prophecy in the Demi-Human Completion Handbook... The matters of the first three—Raphaela, Jasmine, and Valentiina Turan—had mostly all been resolved. Although the methods of resolution were somewhat strange, in Fisher's eyes, they probably wouldn't destroy the world as stated in the prophecy anymore. And Renee was only supposed to write an Epitaph in the prophecy, which didn't sound like she participated in destroying the world...
Therefore, had he already resolved the World-Ending Prophecy?
Had his mission largely been completed?
Amidst this simple contemplation, an extremely cold, clear moonlight abruptly blossomed within the pitch blackness in front of Fisher's eyes. In an instant, that moonlight occupied his everything, causing him to completely lose consciousness.
"Crack, crack, crack, crack, crack!!"
Right in the very center of the Stormsea, as a pulse of extremely bizarre power flashed, the Rule named "Destiny" collapsed in an instant. Amidst countless instances of chaotic, crumbling Time, Fisher, along with Eimhart, vanished instantly from the spot, disappearing into the vast, boundless sea of Destiny.
That boundless, cold, clear moonlight shrank little by little, slowly returning to Renee's hand. Subsequently, she took a deep breath. Looking at the Fisher who had vanished without a trace before her, she revealed a slight smile.
"Fisher..."
Yet the sound of her voice did not propagate through the surrounding medium in the slightest, because in the very next moment, bubbles that swallowed light like black holes abruptly surged out of thin air from the space around her. The bubbles enveloped her in an instant, carrying her in a frantic retreat, until they brought her to an incredibly profound, boundless place as vast as the starry sky that could not be measured.
There seemed to be no Rules to speak of here. Within this unimaginably grand space similar to the Universe, many hidden stars were faintly scattered about. A viscous river of Consciousness was entirely chaotic, playing the eternally unchanging loneliness she was so familiar with.
This place was the Spirit World.
The terrifying crimson mist Fisher had encountered before was currently cowering in a corner of the Spirit World, extremely languidly sealed by several streaks of chaotic moonlight. It remained Motionless within it, appearing to have suffered severe trauma. Yet no matter how the moonlight attacked It, It showed absolutely no intention of perishing, merely playing dead there, awaiting the call of Time.
Renee sighed, suspended out of thin air in this void. Yet in the very next second, a gentle female voice abruptly emerged around her,
"You violated the oath you made with us and acted to shatter the Rules once again. Do you wish to repeat the old path of your Previous Incarnation and wage war against us?"
That female voice seemed to transmit from the depths of the incomparably magnificent world before her. Every word and every sentence symbolized vibrant vitality, symbolizing the expansion of that terrifying Divine Authority.
Hearing this, Renee opened her eyes. Shaking her head, she said,
"Ramastia, I am not Him, and I do not wish to repeat a war with you that will end with Both Sides Suffer. In the thousands of years since His dissipation, I have consistently abided by our armistice oath, not interfering with the world in the slightest, not even changing my mind even when enduring the ravages of loneliness. This time... it was out of absolute necessity. I am willing to be punished for the Rules I violated."
Beneath the sea surface of the magnificent world before her, that gentle female voice smiled slightly before transmitting again,
"Although you are the inheritance of that False God's imperishable Divine Authority, it is possible you are truly different from Him. At least you understand the importance of abiding by the Rules. This is a good sign... However, the threads of Destiny nevertheless suffered a massive impact because of you. You need to make compensation for this."
Moonlight that connected end-to-end in eternal rotation began to surge within Renee's eyes. She spoke,
"Alright... But I cannot accept the punishment of never being allowed to enter the world again. If that happens, I will have no choice but to choose to wage war against you once again."
"Buzz, buzz, buzz!"
In the surrounding darkness, an eye accompanied by bubbling subconsciousness abruptly opened, looking toward the Renee suspended in the Spirit World; In the inner layer of the world, sparkling golden threads also began to tremble. The Space and Time upon them twisted layer upon layer, constructing countless gazing stares within them, locking onto Renee; And behind her, following a crisp knocking sound, extremely high-temperature stars vanished and crumbled, dissipating many streams of elements from within...
Including Ramastia lingering beneath the sea surface of the world, a total of four deities had locked onto Renee. Yet she still remained Motionless, only the cold, clear moonlight in her eyes twisting increasingly larger and faster until it could no longer be measured, transforming into a twisting horizontal figure-eight symbol...
That was the Divine Authority named [Infinity].
But right at this moment where swords were drawn and bows bent, the gentle female voice from the seabed spoke again,
"Truly, you can never perish, but please do not underestimate our resolve to defend this place. Outsider, your Previous Incarnation interfered with the Rules we established multiple times until we could tolerate it no longer. That was why we waged war against Him, resulting in an ending where Both Sides Suffer. You are an omen of destruction. Even if we exhaust all our strength, we cannot completely expel you. But you must know, once war begins, everything of yours will perish in the war."
"Your memories and the beauty remaining in your heart will all Vanish into Nothingness until your Divine Authority births a new Consciousness. You and the person you are clashing with Order for will no longer recognize each other, and he will spend a life of regret crossing paths with you time and time again... Even so, must you be stubborn to the end?"
The cold, clear moonlight on Renee's face faded bit by bit until that fairly apparent Humanity reclaimed her body and mind. She then closed her eyes, withdrawing all her Divine Authority into her main body.
"...I am willing to bear the responsibility. Tell me, what is the punishment?"
The Divine Authorities of the surrounding deities dispersed bit by bit, leaving only the presence of the Ramastia before her once again.
"As punishment for this rashness, I want to strike a deal with you. A deal regarding the Spirit World Contamination behind you."
Renee blanked slightly and turned her head around. Casting her gaze outward, deep within this seemingly boundless dark space, within a cage constructed of heavy moonlight, those wisps of dissipating crimson mist were still just as conspicuous and dangerous.
Even though It had already suffered severe trauma at this moment, It still maintained a state of Glaring Like A Tiger towards the incomparably magnificent world before It, as if aiming to Completely Devoured everything before It.