Chapter 162: What Exactly Have I Forgotten?
“Lord Noah, it seems…”
“This round, I have won.”
At this moment, in Noah’s eyes, that boyish figure, which had already been shattered…
Actually overlapped with that first generation Guardian he had witnessed years ago, the despicable thief who stole the Flame Seed, who had died with a smile.
Clearly, both their identities and situations were completely different, with vast disparities…
Yet, they both uttered the exact same words—
“This round… I have won.”
Did you… win?
What was about to be destroyed was merely an avatar, while that first generation Guardian was destined to lose his true life.
Such a balance of interests made it easy for anyone to judge.
However, the original Guardian still uttered those words.
With a happy smile that didn’t seem fake.
…
In the momentarily evaporating yellow seawater, on Noah’s Avatar of Abundance, every cell and magical factor constituting its existence was laid bare to the scorching impact.
Green light surged, as the legendary power of abundance sought to forcibly heal those cells annihilated by the shock… but healing had just been partially completed when they were annihilated again.
This cycle of annihilation and revival repeated millions of times in an instant, and within seconds, the remaining power of abundance was swiftly exhausted, causing the “Leaf of Genesis,” the core of this avatar, to gradually wither, sending out alarms of impending collapse.
Yet, the soul named Noah, severed from the main body and used to control this avatar… at this moment, quietly gazed at the moment of annihilation, as if all his body and mind had been taken away by that dazzling brilliance.
Some fragmented, long-forgotten memories suddenly resurfaced in Noah’s mind.
It was something that happened a long, long time ago.
So far back that it spanned several eras… at that time, the gods could still walk the earth, and humanity had not yet truly become the masters of the world.
It was the darkest and most oppressive era for humanity, where they could only exist as the vassals of the mythical races… surviving amidst the cataclysmic divine wars waged by the gods.
Perhaps during the divine wars, a seemingly inconspicuous aftershock could be enough to wipe out an entire human tribe.
However, in those years, from an inconspicuous tribe, there emerged a nameless and foolish human.
He believed that devoid of sharp fangs and claws, without powerful magical talents and long lifespans, humans with bloodline abilities… had no choice but to rely on the power of knowledge to contend with those powerful mythical beings.
Even if in the beginning, the knowledge shared was merely a few insignificant summaries of experience, such as hunting skills, herbal formulas, or methods of making fire.
But as long as it could be passed down from generation to generation, over time, with the progress of civilization history… refined, supplemented, and filled out by each generation’s hands.
Then, one day—
The just-sprouting seedlings could grow into towering trees…
And the initially minuscule sparks would ignite into blazing flames, setting the world alight.
Thus—
Under the leadership of that nameless person, humanity discovered a sequence ladder to become extraordinary, and found the Night Blade, which corresponded to the ancient dragon’s language magic and the vampire’s hypnotic gifted eyes—manifested by their own heart’s landscape.
In this way, the once weak humans finally possessed the means to contend with various mythical races.
Rising gradually from nothing, they overcame many mythical species that declined as the mystery receded, becoming the new masters of this continent.
Noah was born at that time, at the end of the Age of Gods.
He participated in humanity’s conquests, exterminating once-great mythical beings and becoming a world ruler.
He followed that first human leader, the nameless fool who created the extraordinary system and opened the path of knowledge inheritance… enjoying the flowers, applause, cheers, and glory of the people upon their triumphant return.
That glory was so dazzling, so intense, like a blessing.
It was precisely because of his persistence in that glory, and admiration for that leader…
That when the nameless fool discovered the patterns of era changes and proposed to establish the Gravekeeper organization to watch over the human flame for future generations—
Noah unhesitatingly chose to join, abandoning his life in the first era, rejecting the pleas of friends and family…
Sleeping in the cold grave, awakening to a world transformed, where everything and everyone he had once known had disappeared, all for the singular goal of “aiding the future.”
Yes…
Back then, was he not like that first Guardian, like Cecil… like the current Rast?
For some illusory, intangible dream-like thing, he sacrificed everything, stepping onto the path of becoming a Gravekeeper, right?
That passionate original intention and ideal, compared to the boy before him, surely would not pale in any way…
Believe in the power of knowledge.
Believe in the potential of the future, entrusting unfulfilled missions to later generations.
Believe that persistent dedication will eventually yield rewards, that one day, the daily accumulations will gather together, stone upon stone.
Aiming to sever the endless cycle of fate, to redeem human civilization from that hellish world.
This ideal could not be denied by anyone, could not be overturned by anyone, and remained deeply hidden in his heart… something that neither deities nor fate could ever take away or defile.
But…
When did he begin to forget this original ideal?
Became driven by petty desires, became obsequious… resorting to any means to attain immortality, becoming the repugnant figure he was today.
Even for the sake of adhering to the rules of era changes, to draw closer to eternity and heavenly principles, he wielded a kn*fe against the very humanity he once vowed to protect.
So—
Was it the Guardian who abandoned the original belief, or was it the Gravekeeper himself who became the traitor?
The last trace of green abundant power dissipated from Noah’s Avatar of Abundance.
What exactly am I confused about, and what have I missed?
As long as he looked back to the past, retrieved that forgotten original intention—wasn’t that enough?
“I…”
“What have I forgotten…”
Before this unspoken whisper could reach an audience.
The scorching brilliance took everything to another world.
(End of chapter)
