Chapter 129: Lost Paradise, Clear the Level! (7k)
Fire Stealer?
Hearing Noah’s words, Rast couldn’t help but feel a moment of surprise.
Speaking of which, this was the first time he had so clearly understood the concept of the Gravekeepers.
Although he could not verify it, Rast could sense that, in this regard, Noah was not deceiving himself.
The end of each epoch would bring about a cataclysm that would end the epoch and destroy an entire civilization, or so-called calamity—
This could be evidenced from the current Night Travelers’ exploration of the Night World…
Six epochs, seventy-two Night Worlds, each Night World corresponded to a past historical disaster.
And each epoch’s End Night World, referred to as “End Echo,” regardless of the challenge difficulty or the status scale of the extraordinary combatants involved, was far beyond the ordinary Night World echoes—
That was a level that all the Night Travelers of the current world had to work together, paying the price of blood and fire, to possibly conquer.
In fact, according to the records Rast found in the Tower of Secrets… there had been multiple instances in the past where legendary Night Travelers had fallen during the attempts to conquer the End Night Worlds and End Echoes of each epoch.
Thus, the great calamity Noah spoke of likely existed.
If the development of civilization could be compared to a living organism, then it had a lifecycle of sprouting, growing, flourishing, aging, and withering.
However, when the cycle of civilization transitions from flourishing to declining, entering an irreversible curtain call stage…
Every legend born in the epoch, every leader of civilization, would make entirely different choices.
Some might choose to calmly accept, quietly welcoming the civilization’s demise.
Or they might abandon civilization itself, remaining suspended above the river of history, coldly overlooking the rise and fall of tides, watching the changes of eras and civilizations… even actively accelerating this process to conform to the laws of nature, like the Gravekeepers.
Alternatively, they could refuse this destined outcome, burning themselves like kindling for that glimmer of possibility, like the Guardians.
These are different legends making different choices in the face of civilization’s last moments.
There’s no right or wrong, just a matter of stance and ideology… but precisely because of this, when two contrasting stances collide, there is no room for negotiation.
What remains is only war of blood and fire.
And war is always a matter of life and death.
However, more than these.
What truly concerned Rast was the story Noah shared about the Guardians.
The first generation of that Guardian was a traitor among the Gravekeepers?
Moreover, according to Noah’s description, that first generation Guardian even stole a “Flame Seed” from the Gravekeepers.
To evoke such contempt and coldness from an ancient legend while discussing this… it was evident that that “Flame Seed” must be an extraordinarily precious item.
For legendary strongmen, it held exceptional significance.
Rast wanted to further probe for related intelligence, but it was clear that Noah had no intention of elaborating on this matter.
And faced with a legend, if Rast showed too much curiosity, it inevitably would raise the other’s vigilance and suspicion.
Nonetheless, despite this—
In fact, in Rast’s heart, he had already speculated about that so-called “Flame Seed.”
It just awaited further confirmation.
“So, you should understand why I will represent the Gravekeepers here,” Noah’s indifferent voice echoed in Rast’s ears once more.
“What we pursue is not just the immortality of life but also the eternity of civilization.”
“And to sustain for a long time… the opening and demise of epochs, the destruction and rebirth of civilizations, are all necessary existences.”
“However, the Guardians, led by Cecil, are trying to break this rule that has persisted for several epochs—”
“For that impractical delusion akin to a moth to a flame… they recklessly pursue it, nearly to the point of madness, completely disregarding the far more distant future.”
“Therefore, the Guardians must be eliminated—”
“Before this civilization truly angers the laws of nature, triggering the backlash of calamity, resulting in irrevocable consequences.”
He paused slightly: “On the other hand, the despicable traitors and thieves must also be punished.”
“From the Fire Stealer’s hands, reclaim the ‘Flame Seed’ that we lost.”
A hint of shock mixed with confusion showed on Rast’s face.
He hesitated for a moment and finally asked.
“Lord Noah, I have another question.”
“Facing the Guardians, why don’t we Gravekeepers use more powerful forces to directly suppress them without reservation?”
“As far as I know, the current Guardians’ organization isn’t particularly strong, with only Cecil as a legend.”
“A mere legend should be inconsequential compared to us Gravekeepers.”
“Ha.”
Rast sensed a heavy gaze fixed on him.
After a long while, it finally shifted away from him.
“We Gravekeepers, although independent of history, will not be worn down and aged due to the erosion of time like mundane lives…”
“But it comes at a price; we can only act as recorders and observers, witnessing everything in the world for most of each epoch.”
“And if we wish to interfere with the world, various limitations will exist.”
“Just like those gods imprisoned outside the ‘Threshold of Celestial Fire’… as true gods, they cannot easily descend into the world and can only manifest their powers through believers, rituals, and ceremonies.”
Noah’s voice became a bit somber.
“Had it not been for such numerous restrictions, how could the Guardians—these filthy pests thriving in the shadows—have survived for so long?”
“Of course, these restrictions imposed by the world’s laws will continue to weaken as civilization progresses.”
“When the end of an epoch approaches, the moment of the finality arrives, all restrictions and constraints will be lifted.”
“By then, whether we Gravekeepers or the gods entrapped at the Threshold of Celestial Fire will be unbound, capable of descending onto the world in our full glory… gods walking upon the earth.”
“But by that time, the actions of the Guardians may already be irreparable.”
“And at this current moment, although the process of civilization and epochs has transitioned from flourishing to declining, moving into the latter half of its lifecycle, it has yet to reach the point of annihilation.”
“Thus, while the restrictions have indeed relaxed, they have not been completely broken; allowing for my descent is already the limit… there are plenty of more powerful beings among the Gravekeepers than me, but their restrictions are even greater.”
“Moreover—” Noah paused briefly, “Since the first generation stole that Flame Seed, it has continually grown and accumulated through the inheritance of the successive Guardians…”
“Although there’s only one person, Cecil, who possesses that Flame Seed, he is not simply an ordinary legend.”
The Threshold of Celestial Fire?
Were those true gods bound at this so-called ‘Threshold of Celestial Fire,’ thus unable to descend recklessly and roam the earth?
Rast quietly noted this piece of knowledge in his heart; this was a secret he had no means of understanding before.
At this moment, Noah also withdrew his ethereal gaze, once again resting it on Rast.
“Of course, these matters have little relevance to you at this moment.”
“Though rare, every era and epoch has its own legends… as for the legendary seeds that opened the legendary path and have the potential to achieve legend, their numbers are several times greater.”
“Yet, not every legend can be invited to join the Gravekeepers.”
“However, you indeed possess the qualification to walk alongside us now.”
Noah looked down at Rast, the plants in the courtyard growing vigorously around him, filled with vibrant green vitality.
“For the sake of survival and eternity, the Guardians must be erased.”
“There must be a battle between me and Cecil… but that battle will not come immediately; both he and I must prepare and build up strength for it.”
“What you need to do… is to use the Grim Reaper’s Star Cup, which you forcibly contained, as a medium to fully harness the remaining powers within this Grim Reaper’s remains for your own use.”
His gaze fell once more to the dim yellow illusionary ocean in the distance, which was formed from the remains of the Grim Reaper.
Rast also followed Noah’s gaze toward the abyss—
In the depths of the illusionary ocean formed from the Grim Reaper’s blood, at the end of the abyss, all light was devoured.
Faintly, an aura that Rast found quite familiar wafted through.
That was Akshia’s presence.
Although Rast had used Cecil’s light dagger to pierce her heart and take the Grim Reaper’s Star Cup, as a transcendental being of the Reaper Sequence, even having lost the cup and the ability to wield the power of the Grim Reaper’s remains, Akshia’s rank would not fall due to years of steadfastness.
Possessing the ability of the “Pale Body,” there was no such thing as a fatal weakness on her body; even with her heart pierced, she would not easily perish.
At this moment, the former Queen of the Underworld lay quietly asleep at the bottom of the abyss like Sleeping Beauty.
For others, the abyss, which could swallow anyone who dared touch a drop of divine blood, was perilous…
Yet for Akshia, it seemed merely a tranquil refuge, indistinguishable from her palace in Paradise.
“After all, it is the remains of a true god; even a centipede does not die easily; how much more so for the former god of death…”
“Such a magnificent existence, given the right opportunity, only requires a strand of flesh to return.”
Noah seemed to have also seen through the abyss that swallowed the light, perceiving the girl sleeping at the bottom.
“Even though you are forcibly containing the Grim Reaper’s Star Cup, you should be able to feel that the cup regards you merely as a container and a temporary parasitic host…”
“It is parasitizing you, continually trying to use its power to erode, pollute, and assimilate you… and if you are unable to resist this erosion and assimilation, being completely overtaken by the cup—”
“Then, even if you can ascend to legend via the power of the Grim Reaper’s remains or even step into the divine domain… you will no longer be you but the former Grim Reaper, revived through your body.”
“However, if she exists, everything will be different.”
Noah’s words followed: “This Queen of the Underworld named Helen… has contained the Grim Reaper’s Star Cup since her birth but has not been rejected or eroded by that cup, as would typically happen to ordinary individuals trying to grasp the power of the divine; instead, she freely controls the cup’s power.”
“She is an extremely unique existence, a being naturally able to contain the cup. I even suspect she is a life formed from the traits of the old Grim Reaper or a new life born from the remains of the Grim Reaper.”
“In a sense, she is the offspring of the old gods, a bloodline flowing with the same lineage as the deities, the daughter of the Grim Reaper.”
“If you forcibly contain the cup, carrying the might of that Grim Reaper’s remains, you will simply become the vessel for the Grim Reaper’s revival.”
“In front of the gods, human self-awareness is as humble as dust, and will be ruthlessly crushed…”
“But if you treat her as a container, completing the ritual at the most fitting moment when the Grim Reaper’s Star Cup begins to erode your body, using the bloodline of the Grim Reaper as the offering—”
“Then you might transfer all the side effects onto her, the offering container.”
“Completely gain the divinity and authority contained within the Grim Reaper’s Star Cup, as well as full control over that divine remains.”
Noah’s tone softened: “Although this merely enables you to contain the divinity and authority of the cup without directly absorbing the powers within the divine remains… it won’t drastically elevate your rank and power in a short period.”
“But this way, you can completely avoid all risks, and there’s a possibility that the consciousness of the Grim Reaper might not awaken within you.”
“By then, your path to becoming a legend, even godhood, will be completely opened… given time, whether a few years or decades, you will certainly become a legend or even a deity, facing no barriers or obstacles.”
“And the power within that divine remains won’t go to waste, though it is too risky to directly absorb due to the Old Grim Reaper’s lingering will…”
“But you could control that divine remains, assisting me in eliminating the Guardians.”
“Although several epochs have passed and most of the power within the Grim Reaper’s remains has long since faded, very little remains. Yet in the short term, unleashing legendary tier power from the corpse is still entirely plausible.”
The gardener-like elder spoke in a calm manner yet with an allure that was hard to describe.
“Once the Guardians are vanquished, I will use the merit of assisting in eliminating the Guardians and reclaiming the ‘Flame Seed’ from the Fire Stealer to recommend you for entry into the Gravekeepers.”
“Containing an ancient god’s star cup without side effects, and becoming one of us Gravekeepers… gaining eternal life, standing above the river of time and history, no longer bound by lifespan and the constraints of aging and death.”
“One day, perhaps you will truly ascend to godhood, becoming the new Grim Reaper.”
“Even surpassing the old Grim Reaper is not out of the question.”
…
“The ritual to use the Queen of the Underworld, Helen, as an offering to help you truly contain the Grim Reaper’s Star Cup requires considerable preparation time, and the ritual itself must wait for the right moment.”
“Additionally, I need to find more allies for the battle against Cecil.”
“During this time to prepare fully… you should remain in Paradise or the Abyss, trying to contain the cup as much as possible, deepening your connection with it.”
“Moreover, the vacant throne in the Netherworld should be yours to occupy.”
“When one day you step into the divine domain and embark on the path of becoming the Grim Reaper… these dead souls in the Paradise of the Netherworld will be your natural followers and sources of your faith’s power.”
“There is no need to worry that Cecil will take action against you again… a person like him has far too many concerns, treating mundane emotions—seemingly illusionary matters—as shackles restraining himself.”
“As long as my movements remain uncertain, he must guard against the forbidden creatures of the ocean and be wary of my potential to obliterate the entire Guardians organization, and will not dare to step away from the watchtower headquarters.”
“There may be other Guardians hunting you, but for you at this moment, Paradise is your home turf. Though you have merely forcibly contained the cup… those people shouldn’t pose a significant threat to you.”
Noah’s last words faded with a warping halo around him and disappeared.
When the surrounding scenery came back into focus.
Rast found himself back in the Royal City of Paradise.
“What happened? Why did that palace in the inner city suddenly collapse and vanish?”
“Logically, such a large building, even if it truly collapsed, should still have some ruins remaining, yet just now someone boldly went in to check; there was clearly nothing left at the palace site.”
“Queen Helen wouldn’t have encountered any trouble, right?”
Although it was already nighttime, in this era, it was far from the all-night cityscapes of later generations.
Nonetheless, the streets of the Royal City were still bustling with the chaotic murmurs of the populace.
The residents of Paradise were obviously unaware of everything that had just transpired atop the city peak… they only knew that the center of the Royal City, Queen Helen’s palace, had inexplicably collapsed.
Silently vanishing without leaving behind a trace of existence.
Amidst the chaotic crowd, Rast subtly mimicked a gun gesture at his temples.
In the next moment, a glimmer of light flashed in his eyes.
As the mental suggestion took effect, the self-hypnosis Rast had imposed on himself earlier was lifted.
This was a necessary step.
Although it had been arranged from the very beginning to infiltrate the Gravekeepers as an insider.
But facing a legendary-tier Gravekeeper, even the slightest ripple or fluctuation from his inner thoughts could likely be detected, leading to a wise understanding of his intentions.
Though he had confidence in his acting skills, he was dealing with one who may have lived through several epochs, and being overly careful was not excessive.
Thus, from the moment he truly faced Noah, Rast had initiated self-hypnosis.
He genuinely immersed himself in the perspective of a Gravekeeper… having personally experienced wear and tear, he was deeply fearful of the passage of long time and self-deterioration, willing to pay any price for the pursuit of eternity.
All the experiences and past that Rast claimed to have heard from Noah, including his internal reflections and transformations, were genuinely real… he genuinely believed that the Guardians were the wrong side and identified the correctness of the Gravekeeper ideals.
The only difference was that Rast had shielded from his memories that segment concerning Canaan.
If not for “Canaan” and Xiao Ai’s existence.
Having experienced the cyclical storms of Deep Blue Harbor for centuries, and personally tasted the erosion and self-dissolution of the soul… Rast likely would have genuinely walked the path of becoming a Gravekeeper.
Only in this way could he potentially deceive a true legendary Gravekeeper.
Of course, Rast would not unconditionally believe all the information that Noah revealed to him.
He and Noah were only just getting acquainted.
While he had gained utilizable value from containing the Grim Reaper’s Star Cup, establishing a basis for cooperation.
If he believed everything Noah said without question, he would likely be sold off and end up counting the money for the other.
For instance, Noah said that the reason the Gravekeepers hadn’t mobilized to eliminate Cecil was due to the lifecycle of the epoch, causing limitations on the powers that the Gravekeepers and the gods could bring forth…
This limitation likely existed; after all, if true gods could casually manifest their powers, the Sixth Epoch would have long been reduced to ruins, and it wouldn’t be possible for it to survive for so long solely with Cecil as one legend.
But did only Noah come from the Gravekeepers?
Even Noah himself said that Cecil, who bore that “Flame Seed,” was not a legendary figure to be measured ordinarily… So, how could the fighting strength the Gravekeepers dispatched to deal with Cecil not have sufficient reserves?
Also—
If it were just to eliminate Cecil and reclaim the Flame Seed…
Then why was it particularly Noah from the Bounty Sequence that the Gravekeepers sent to Paradise?
Rast was not unfamiliar with the Bounty Sequence, which was also quite common among the Night Travelers in the current world. Hiltina’s deceased close friend Fran was also from this Sequence.
The abilities of the “Bounty” Sequence had decent utility in support, healing, medical, and logistics… but it evidently had certain shortcomings when it came to pure face-to-face combat capabilities.
If the purpose was simply to eliminate Cecil, they should undoubtedly choose a legendary figure from their own sequence with stronger combat capabilities.
Moreover—
“Bounty” and “Grim Reaper” Sequences wield authority over life and death…
On the surface, they seem to be two entirely opposing powers, but they also represent that these two sequences are part of the rules of life and death, stemming from the same source.
So, Noah’s explanations to him, as well as the ritual involving Akshia as both container and offering… were they really that simple, merely to enable himself to contain the Grim Reaper’s Star Cup without side effects and use the divine remains to assist in exterminating Cecil?
Or could it involve Noah’s own interests as well?
As his thoughts raced, Rast also glanced in the direction where the nearby residents were paying attention.
“And also, filling the vacancy of that throne, becoming the King of the Netherworld and the new ruler of Paradise…”
Rast looked at the central region of the Royal City, where a once magnificent palace now lay completely empty, and couldn’t help but chuckle lightly.
“With that, it’s simply dancing mockingly on Little Grey’s face.”
“That little brat will probably hate me to the core; she might even lose sleep over it.”
“However, if one wishes to become a qualified leader of the Guardians in a short time… then this is indeed a price you must pay.”
Rast’s muttering paused slightly.
“After all, whether it’s me or Leader Ciser.”
“The time we have left to continue accompanying Little Grey—”
“Is probably not too long…”
In the next moment, Rast raised his head.
Amidst the dark sky, a hazy starlight suddenly descended.
Under his watchful gaze, the starlight intertwined with the sheer night.
Then, like the night sky, it gently enveloped Rast and the entire broken world.
As the deepening night and his gradually fading consciousness set in, Rast saw lines of azure text flash through his mind.
[Night World Mission—”Echoes of the Era: The Prologue to the Legendary War (Lost Paradise)” has been cleared.]
[Current mission score level: EX]
[Mission rewards have been distributed.]
[Your sequence tier “Tower” has reached the fourth rank.]
[You have obtained Emblem Armor: “Unfinished Fairy Tale Book,” “Traitor’s Wing.”]
[Civilization Epic Event—”Battle of the Broken Coast” has been activated.]
[Current historical node has been locked; please choose to exit the Echoes of the Era or continue to remain for the Night Travelers.]
[Reminder: After leaving the Night World, apart from the Emblem Armor validated by the Night World, any phantasms gained in the historical echoes will enter a void state and become unusable.]
[When the Night Traveler next enters the Echo of the Era, they will proceed to the locked historical node, continuing the Civilization Epic event.]
(This chapter ends)
