Chapter 169: It is my honor to fight alongside you (Two-in-One)
This is the brilliance of countless suns shining at the same moment.
It is also the most extreme explosion and the most intense bloom contained within all possibilities observed in the universe…
Even though the “Supernova Explosion” before us is merely a simulation created by Cecil using his legendary tier spiritual power, a phantasm born of the soul—
When the scenery of the mental world is projected into reality, its power, reduced trillions of times compared to a real star, is still enough to make mountains and seas tremble.
In the twisted fate, time is continuously accelerating, and the originally intricate wheel of life spins repetitively, constantly carving layers of temporal imprints.
In that heart image world gestated by phantasm—
The process that originally required millions or even tens of millions of years was compressed to dozens of seconds, or even moments of a few breaths.
Then, it exploded.
In that instant, the entire dark sky was illuminated into a bright daylight.
Noah’s expression finally changed.
Not just him, deep in the distant ocean, the massive black dragon also let out a deafening roar.
Wings forged of black scales unfurled, blocking out the sun, lifting thousands of tons of seawater into the sky with every flap, stirring up a storm…
Above the sky, a crimson river formed from blood and bones also retreated in an instant; that is the domain of the legendary Iron Cross King, a blood and flesh country condensed from the countless flesh and blood it had once devoured.
Although he did not understand how the Cecil in that solar corona accomplished all this, at this moment, the instinct of the legendary beings to seek benefit and avoid harm finally overcame their bloodthirsty nature… they all began to flee toward the distance.
However, at this current time node—
Whether fleeing or defending… everything was already too late.
Starting from the star core gathered from pure steel, the once suppressed corona lost its restraints, suddenly releasing and expanding.
Within a few breaths, that illusory radiant corona expanded to thousands of times its original volume, and it continued to grow.
All material that constituted that star was cast outward in this moment of explosion—
Following iron elements, gold, silver, or platinum, chromium… all heavy metal elements were born in such a magnificent bloom, then scattered across the world, forming the foundation of this material world.
The liberated star expanded unrestrictedly; obviously, when Cecil released his solar domain initially, it was only a few meters high, but now, it swelled in the blink of an eye, as if it were a real mountain, suspended over the dark sea level, representing the clash between earth and ocean.
The radiant corona surged forth, drafting torrents of light, engulfing countless whirlpools, swallowing towering ancient trees, howling black dragons, and the bloody country of the Iron Cross King.
In the seawater that evaporated instantly, every molecule on the black dragon and the Iron Cross King was exposed to the scorching impact, causing these majestic mythical beings to emit piercing screams.
Divine particles ascended from their bodies, attempting to counter the star corona that devoured everything.
But it was ineffective.
This was the death throes of a supermassive star before its end, the most violent explosion known throughout the universe.
In the face of such a glorious celestial body—
Whether it was the black dragon with wings blocking the sky, or the king of the Iron Cross… these mythical beings, once revered and worshipped by early human tribes as totems during the Age of Gods, now appeared as humble as ants.
They couldn’t even withstand a single breath… that radiant tsunami incinerated everything.
Whether it was the pitch-black ancient dragon or the king of the Iron Cross, their actions were frozen in that brilliance.
The supernova explosion had already turned this place into a vacuum, so the magnificent shells of these legendary beings did not burn violently, but instead glowed with a fiery radiance, as if ignited carbon.
In the next moment, when the vacuum collapsed, immense pressure differences brewed a tremendous storm, tearing apart the bodies of the enormous black dragon and the Iron Cross King into fragments, which, upon making contact with the radiant current, sublimated into white ashes.
A distinct white dust belt formed behind that radiant river, drifting toward the pitch-black ocean as if scattering ashes.
…
Rast sat back against the rocky shore, watching the suddenly rising resplendent sun in the distant sea.
That was the supernova explosion manifesting from the heart image, and even from thousands of meters away, this magnificent scene was still clear as if the time of sunrise was advanced by a full seven hours, making the night bright as day.
And moments later—
From the distant horizon, a delayed gust of wind arrived at the broken coast paved with chaotic rocks.
It dispersed the dark clouds, overturned the forests, shook the earth, and swept past.
The furious winds howled in, blowing Rast’s black hair into a rustling frenzy, but he remained entirely unfazed.
He merely raised his head slightly to gaze into the distance, a mysterious hue swirling in his eyes.
[Tower·Navigator: The second-tier ability of the Tower Sequence, your eyes can pierce through fog and darkness, and you will never lose direction even in the darkest, lightless sea.]
This was the ability he unlocked when breaking through to the second tier in Frozen Water Town.
At this moment, Rast was using this inherent skill of the Tower Sequence to silently hold his breath, penetrating the darkness and fog of the lightless sea, witnessing everything happening on that battlefield.
He was not the type to be easily startled or to embellish words with exaggerated descriptions; the cycles in Deep Blue Harbor had long made Rast accustomed to everything in the world, from joy and anger to sorrow and parting, allowing him to maintain an unperturbed mindset in the face of all matters.
But at this moment, witnessing the “Battle of the Broken Coast” through his own eyes still exceeded his previous understanding, enough to be described as shocking.
In such a foolish and ignorant world, where all fundamental science and practical levels had long remained in the steam age, and the transmission of knowledge and civilization was nearly completely severed, destined to only deteriorate further,
Cecil, despite being isolated and unsupported, relied solely on his own spiritual power for reasoning and calculations, spending hundreds of years to complete the analysis of stellar composition and solar modeling in his heart image world…
In his mental world, every physical rule constituting the star, every factor of construction, every element, and atomic decay were completely mastered in meticulous detail.
Only with this knowledge could Cecil allow a true simulated star to exist long-term in his heart image and even actualize the “Supernova Explosion,” a theoretical possibility he had never witnessed, only existing in modeled simulations, into reality.
From the original steam age to the atomic energy age… in Rast’s past life, this was a monumental leap crossing several generations, the result of countless scholars and billions of humans working tirelessly for hundreds of years.
But at this moment, Cecil accomplished this transformation of the era relying solely on his own strength.
The truth contained within this, the fundamental knowledge leap forged by Cecil alone that far exceeds the foundations of the current era… this was far more shocking than how many legendary beings Cecil had slain in this battle, so astonishing that Rast found it hard to believe his own eyes.
Yet the truth was right before him, whether he believed it or not.
Those who had not yet reached the peak could never imagine the view from the summit.
Certainly, the vast majority of scientific research and inventions are constrained by the current era and environment; for instance, due to the lack of shallow copper mines in the Latin American region, the Maya civilization developed other derivative disciplines and fields of civilization brilliantly, yet failed to escape the Stone Age even until its demise, entering the Bronze and Iron Ages.
However, throughout the long river of history, some remarkably talented exceptions inevitably arise, breaking the shackles and chains of their current era and environment, becoming pioneers of human civilization and turning points in history.
This is the great achievement achieved by mere humans reaching the divine realm… also in the vast expanse of time, it is a unique variable that can only be described as a “miracle.”
And it is precisely these small “variables,” one unremarkable “miracle” after another accumulating over time… that allowed humanity to rise in an era that should not have been dominant and end the reign of mythical beings, becoming the new masters of this land.
That kind of brilliance is eternal and will shine brightly in the long river of history even ten thousand years later.
Rast gently closed his eyes, feeling the sea breeze brushing against his face.
No wonder when he described the various aspects of the future world, Cecil never questioned the truth of what he described, not even expressing doubt but believing it outright… because that future scenery was precisely what he had depicted repeatedly within his heart image world based on the scientific principles and rules he had deduced over the long years.
And the smile of contentment Cecil displayed back then was not merely a simple yearning for the future world Rast depicted, but a smile when he realized his research and deductions were affirmed by a time traveler, knowing his efforts were not in vain.
No wonder Cecil would choose his heir in advance and entrust everything to Grey.
Because the flame seed passed down contained not only the power of the Night Blade’s “Library of Fools” but also the physical rules and basic scientific conclusions Cecil deduced throughout his long life using spiritual power—that foundational scientific research result sufficient to enable humanity’s leap from the “Steam Age” to the “Atomic Energy Age.”
He knew that in the current Sixth Epoch, a chaotic world where people could not guarantee their most basic safety, there was no soil for those pioneering scientific research results to take root… just like if one couldn’t even have enough to eat, even the most cutting-edge physicists would have nowhere to apply their skills.
Therefore, Cecil chose to entrust all he had researched in his lifetime… to Grey, to the future generations.
And then, he would clear the obstacles for future generations, giving them soil for those epoch-defining foundational sciences to sprout, a true clear sky.
Previous memories emerged one by one and then fused into understanding at this moment, allowing Rast to finally grasp the true meaning of Cecil’s parting words to him—
“Use your body to pave the way for those who come after.”
Not merely providing shelter for humanity with individual bravery, killing powerful forbidden beasts and legendary strongmen was that simple.
No matter how strong individual power is, the Night Blade named “Library of Fools” is magical and mysterious, yet it can only act on a single individual, unable to bring permanent change to humanity as a whole.
Even if it shines brilliantly for a time, once this powerful individual falls, the entire civilization will inevitably decline alongside it…
Just like those once magnificent mythical races in the Age of Gods, which once lived high above, but when the mystery receded, those gods that once protected them could not safeguard themselves; it was instantaneous for these legends to fall into dust.
However, Cecil fundamentally differs from those clan leaders who rely solely on personal bravery to protect their kin.
What he left for future generations was a treasure named “knowledge,” which can never be exhausted no matter how much it is mined.
Moreover, it is an incredibly vast, infinitely lonely… unbound, unchained, and truly free world.
Amidst that frenzied blowing wind, a touch of pale ash suddenly mixed in, remnants of the black-draining dragon and Iron Cross King scattered by the fiery sun.
And Rast gently reached out in the sea wind, feeling the pale ashes dissipating at his fingertips, leaving not a trace behind.
He suddenly remembered the afternoon years ago, when the Shadow Servant bid him farewell in Paradise City, which then still existed.
“Captain, it is my honor to fight alongside you.”
This was the last sentence the Shadow Servant said to Rast, shortly after which she perished in what is now the ash of Paradise Palace, dying at Noah’s hands to protect Grey.
And this scene was just like then.
“It is also my honor to fight alongside you.”
“Leader Cisel.”
Rast’s words drifted in the chaotic wind, unheard by anyone.
………………………………………………
PS: There might be another update in the morning.
(End of Chapter)
