prynovel Chapter 1762 Final Chapter: Crossing the Shore [107] "Plato's cave has been split open by
Chapter 1762 Final Chapter: Crossing the Shore [107] "Plato's cave has been split open by
Chapter 1762 Final Chapter: The Shore Crossing [107]: "Plato's cave has been split open by a skylight."
0 hours and 57 minutes remaining.
The Lord of Dreams has stopped attacking Su Ming'an with crazy words and pixels, and has completely hidden himself in the depths of the dream, trying to buy time.
Wisteria swayed, black water was silent, Su Ming'an moved forward quickly, trailing rainbows, the vast silence stretching before him.
With fifty-seven minutes remaining, if He continues to hide and is not usurped by Su Ming'an, the Blackwater Dream will never completely belong to Su Ming'an. When the countdown ends, he will lose.
However, with everyone's help, the Lord of Dreams failed to expel Su Ming'an. As Su Ming'an's fusion deepened, he vaguely sensed the direction of the Lord of Dreams. As long as he went there, met Him, and used his fusion to usurp Him... he could win.
I must see Him.
The Lord of Dreams will also spare no effort to ensure that Su Ming'an cannot see Him.
……
The Lord of Dreams is attacking you!
[You have been influenced by "omission," "stream of consciousness," "unreliable narrative," and "conceptual ambiguity"!]
……
In an instant, the concepts in Su Ming'an's mind seemed to be fragmented, and the coordinates of the dream master that he clearly remembered disappeared, as if they had been erased.
Instead, a large section of distorted gibberish appeared.
This reminded him of an attack method similar to an "eraser," where the Lord of Dreams directly erased his thoughts about the concept of "Lord of Dreams' position."
There are 57 minutes left. If he can't remember again...
“Your integration with the Blackwater Dream has reached a certain level. The Lord of Dreams cannot completely erase the coordinates in your mind, but He has converted them into gibberish.” Chen Qingguang’s voice rang in my ears, and the red card in my pocket made a sound. “As long as you successfully decode it, you can find Him. Even if He can erase you a second or third time, you can decode it again… As you become more and more familiar with His ‘programming’ method, in the end, you will be able to instantly remember His location. He will have nowhere to hide.”
"Thanks, Chen Qingguang." Although Su Ming'an had already thought of it, Chen Qingguang's words made him even more certain.
He stared at the garbled text in front of him—
……
[No one will hurt you, so everyone will want to eat you. So run away quickly, relax, run away easily, run away happily!]
……
This is a piece of gibberish that seems to have nothing to do with His location, but Su Ming'an knows that as long as it is successfully decoded, His location can be locked.
……
You've been affected by "vague concepts"!
You've been affected by "vague concepts"!
You've been affected by "vague concepts"!
……
The Lord of Dreams has realized that scattered attacks are no match for Su Ming'an. Su Ming'an's soul is too full, and Su Ming'an's life is too rich. After going through thirteen rounds of trials in twelve dungeons and the Source Point, Su Ming'an has come to know himself, has independent consciousness, and is a completely perfect individual.
He resorted to the most shameless tactic—directly attacking Su Ming'an's soul.
After all, this is the thinnest, most fragile, and most damaged thing that Su Ming'an has now.
His judgment was absolutely correct. He focused all his efforts on attacking Su Ming'an's soul, erasing Su Ming'an's coordinates and concepts of Him. Su Ming'an indeed felt that all his concepts of the "Lord of Dreams" were gradually disappearing from his mind, like waves washing over a sandcastle.
“You want to take it away again…” he murmured softly through gritted teeth.
Countless times, the Lord of Dreams manipulated them like puppets, repeatedly stealing their memories and washing away the golden sands.
Even the most precious memories can be swept away by the waves, leaving no trace. Everything once given, everything held onto, everything worked hard... is erased as if by an eraser, ultimately turning into desolation.
"This time... don't even think about... don't even think about making me forget again...!"
"Don't even think about making me start over... or putting me back in that box...!"
As the waves crashed in, Su Ming'an had been swallowed up by them countless times, facing the end and starting over again.
But this time is different.
"Crack-!"
The Lord of Dreams had indeed succeeded. In that instant, the concept of Him in Su Ming'an's mind became blurred.
However at the same moment—
The ring on your finger shines!
He used his second trump card!
……
[Ring of Time (Purple Tier, Level 2, lv.1): "Since everything leads to the beginning, then why add such ethereal and illusory splendor to my journey?"]
【Spirit +30】
[Duration of crowd control skills increased by 0.5 seconds]
[Currently recorded: Theresa, Xiao Bi, Yao Wen, Noah, Sen Kelstier, North Lisser, Lin Guang T-0321, Alice, Black Magpie, Su Wensheng, Li Mingyue, Su Luoluo, Chang Ge, Xiao Ying, Lotasha, Su Wensheng, Si Que, Antetria, Chen Qingguang, Shi Ying, Casadia, Su Qi, Tian Yu, Hui Chi, Hui Bi, Pero...]
[Special Skill (Time Reversal): Consumes Emotion Points/Mana Points/Divine Power Points to select a space within a certain range and freely choose the reversal time (within twelve hours).]
……
Su Ming'an had previously tried using the "Ring of Time" at the Origin Point, which would revert his state. Su Ming'an set it to "ten seconds ago," and time around him reversed, instantly returning him to ten seconds ago!
The code reappeared before my eyes, and all the concepts about the Lord of Dreams became clear again.
He stared at the code and pulled out his third trump card—
……
【Eraser (Undergraduate Level)】
[Type: Rule-level Item]
[Content: Erase any rule, and determine the winner based on the position of the eraser.]
[Note: "Faced with absolute insignificance and hopelessness, writing becomes a futile anchor. But perhaps, this anchoring itself is the meaning?"]
……
Nothing tangible appeared in his palm, but he felt as if he were holding an eraser. Once, the eraser had wiped away his companions, his friends, everything about himself… but now…
He grabbed the "eraser"!
He grasped the power to define himself.
He pointed at the code in front of him and wiped it clean—
……
"Crack-!"
A small portion of the code has disappeared.
……
[Cracking Progress: 2%]
……
He is indeed not good at creation, nor at deciphering the code of the Lord of Dreams, but what he is best at is constantly trying.
The Lord of Dreams conceals himself through "concepts" composed of words. Su Ming'an knows he can't understand these vague words, but he can erase them one by one, rewind and erase again, until he erases the key words in the sentence, at which point the "code" of that line of text will instantly break.
Just like a sentence filled with complicated modifiers and metaphors, but if you erase its core elements—subject, verb, and object—the sentence will immediately fall apart.
At the same time, he played his fourth trump card—
……
【Life is as brilliant as summer flowers, death as serene as autumn leaves (Red Level): "An endless cycle... This is not the first time, nor will it be the last."
Physical defense value: 5 points
Mental Defense Value: 5 points
Type: Special-purpose ear equipment
Skill (Summer Flower, Autumn Leaves): Activating this skill consumes 100 mana to create a summer flower that will always block an attack with a combat power below 6000. Simultaneously, any weapon that touches your body will turn into autumn leaves and scatter. This effect lasts for 3 seconds. (Cooldown: 60 seconds)
[Skill (Soul Storage): You can carry the soul of any person with you as you travel.]
……
The second skill of this equipment had been sealed. However, Su Ming'an consulted Su Lin before arriving here, and the skill has now been unlocked.
While this skill may seem to conflict with "Soul Ferry," they are not. "Soul Ferry" can only carry non-living beings or remnant souls, mostly storing the dead and bringing them back to life. However, "Soul Storage," based on its description, is sufficient to carry a living person.
Su Ming'an chose to bring Siber.
Siber, who possesses the power of "reincarnation".
What he needs to do is—
"My traveler, it's time for us to work together in perfect harmony again." Siber's figure appeared, she grinned at him, her eyes sparkling.
Once, they tore down the black wall; now, they are torn down the cat box.
Su Ming'an raised the eraser, and the eraser just fell.
……
You've been affected by "vague concepts"!
You've been affected by "vague concepts"!
You've been affected by "vague concepts"!
……
In his mind, everything belonging to the "Lord of Dreams" was erased once again. The Su Ming'an of the past, protected by the World Game, hadn't been deeply influenced by Him. But now, it was a duel between the two of them, and he faced His immense power head-on.
The fact that even a being of his stature could have his concepts erased shows how terrifying the Lord of Dreams truly is.
Then--
Siber took his eraser.
They were walking along a dark, tunnel-like path of fire, and the moment the light faded from Su Ming'an's eyes, Siber picked up the eraser and stepped forward!
……
[Cracking Progress: 4%]
……
The next instant, Siber was also attacked by the Lord of Dreams, and the light in her eyes slowly faded...
In the instant before her consciousness faded, the blade in her hand pierced Su Ming'an's heart.
Death rollback.
Su Ming'an opened his eyes, returning to the crucial moment when he had just taken out the eraser.
Then he picked up the eraser and continued erasing—
……
[Cracking Progress: 6%]
……
The progress of the crack is 6%, not 0%, because even if he dies and the game is rolled back, Su Ming'an's soul is not reverted, and he will remember the operations he has already cracked.
Previously at the Source Point, Su Ming'an dared not use Death Rewind because he was afraid that the Source Point was superior to the Cosmic Organ. However, within this pseudo-organ, within this domain that he had gradually integrated into, he could use Death Rewind without restraint.
Therefore, a solution to the problem had already been formed in his mind.
—A triple rotation relay with Siber.
Siber's authority over reincarnation, the rewinding of the Ring of Time, and her own death rollback.
Siber hid inside her equipment, leaving Su Ming'an to confront the Dream Lord's "conceptual ambiguity" alone, using an eraser to continuously decipher His code. Before Su Ming'an lost his sanity, he released Siber from the equipment, who took the eraser and continued the deciphering in his place.
Subsequently, Siber will also face the "conceptual ambiguity" of the Dream Lord, but before her consciousness dissipates, she will immediately kill Su Ming'an, triggering Su Ming'an's death rollback, thus returning to the time before Siber was summoned.
If Siber fails to act in time, her [Reincarnation] authority will automatically trigger, saving her life and providing her with the option to kill him.
After Su Ming'an triggered the death rollback, Siber returned to her pure and immaculate state, untouched by the corruption of the Dream Lord. Su Ming'an's consciousness also returned to normal with the effects of "Dawn of Immortality" and the "Star Necklace" dispelling the corruption, allowing him to continue using the eraser to solve the puzzle. Because he was constantly rolling back, his mana and divine power were always full, allowing him to use skills indefinitely.
This is precisely why Violet and others had urged him to activate the "Dawn of Immortality" skill, but he hadn't. He wanted to save it for the last moment; otherwise, once the threshold was raised, activating it now would be useless.
This cycle continues until Su Ming'an's consciousness fades, at which point Siber takes over, killing Su Ming'an and starting over.
If there is room for error, the "Ring of Time" can be used to fill the gap and prevent situations where there is not enough time to take over.
……
[Cracking Progress: 8%]
……
[Cracking Progress: 10%]
……
—Siber used her death to preemptively identify the nodes that might be brainwashed and altered by the Lord of Dreams. Before losing her sanity, she informed Su Ming'an of the nodes, and then used Su Ming'an's death to overwrite these nodes, preventing the Lord of Dreams from hearing and changing the nodes, and clearing her own danger value.
When Su Ming'an rewinds, her memories will be lost, but Su Ming'an will take her place and continue for a while until he loses himself. Her only hint is to kill Su Ming'an when she sees him lose himself. After Su Ming'an rewinds and regains his senses, he will give her a second hint. The two repeat the above actions until the relay race is completed.
This is...
……
—The relay between the "Cyclic Traveler" and the "Daughter of Reincarnation".
……
Death after death.
Darkness after darkness.
The feeling of being killed is unpleasant, especially after being mentally attacked by the Lord of Dreams, the pain and emptiness are extremely intense.
However, as long as there is a way, Su Ming'an will definitely break free.
……
"He is very clever. He knows you are a fearless 'player,' and the best way to deter a hardcore 'player' is not to kill them, nor to create extremely difficult levels to discourage them. That would only make them more determined and even devise things like 'no-damage completion methods' or 'world's fastest completion methods' that are detrimental to Him... He knows that the real way to stop a 'player' is to make them not want to play anymore."
"So, He made us all 'quit the game,' and He wants you to 'quit' too. It has to be said, He has grasped the essential psychology of 'players,' making Him the most competent quit-feeding strategist in this game of the universe."
……
At this moment, the Lord of Dreams realized Su Ming'an's madness.
Who would have thought that Su Ming'an would use this "triple rollback" method to grind out His code time and time again!
Even if each death only wears down 2% or even 1%... sometimes it doesn't wear down at all, it's like scraping away a health bar bit by bit... like ants slowly pushing away the yellow sand.
He was shocked—shocked that he could actually be defeated.
He was trapped in the Blackwater Dream by the rules of the "game," as if waiting for the person covered in blood and death to step over his own countless corpses and flesh to walk step by step to him.
Even if He wanted to pick on the weak and break down Siber's mental defenses first, preventing Su Ming'an from triggering a death rollback, Su Ming'an happens to have the [Soul Storage] skill. Unless Su Ming'an really couldn't hold on any longer, He wouldn't release Siber.
Even if He manages to defeat Siber, He still has her [Reincarnation] authority and Su Ming'an's [Ring of Time] as a safety net.
Even if He managed to break through Su Ming'an's defenses, He still had the skills [Dawn of Immortality] and [Pioneer Undying].
When Su Ming'an was about to lose consciousness, he could even trigger [Pioneer Undying] and fall asleep immediately, followed by Siber with her pure and innocent soul taking over, at least allowing him to continue on his way forward for a while longer.
I don't know where to begin!
It was as if the Lord of Dreams had encountered a giant white octopus ball covered in thorns; he had never fought a battle where he was so targeted.
Su Ming'an has held back all his trump cards until now, whether it's the Source Point Dilemma, the War of the Demon Mother Goddess, or the War of the Radiant Mother Goddess... he hasn't used a single one.
The "named" authority of the road, Yamada Machiichi's destruction of the sky, the sky curtain of Beiwang, Yi Song's lock, Su Lin and Lu Shu supporting the sky... one by one, his companions revealed their trump cards, helping him to preserve them until the very last moment.
……
"Look, we all rushed in to help you... so don't worry, we've got a lot to offer. If you lose one card, the others will give you ten thousand... so it's the same as having neither more nor less," Violet said with a smile.
……
—Everyone gave it their all, ensuring that Su Ming'an saved all his trump cards for the final battle, for the most crucial fight.
……
The Lord of Dreams sensed the danger and unleashed all his power upon Su Ming'an.
He understood that, at this point, the only way to defeat Su Ming'an was to make these "players" get bored and give up on their own.
—Show me how many times you can try?
……
[32%]
……
[43%]
……
[56%]
……
[67%]
……
[79%]
……
Su Ming'an's judgment was correct. Even though Su Ming'an had mastered the method of concealing the brain, the Lord of Dreams did not relinquish the initiative; He did indeed have selfish motives.
I do not want the Blackwater Dream to shatter, nor do I want everything I have to vanish into nothingness.
This is the source of His power, and also the place He has cultivated for too long.
Before Su Ming'an's eyes, pixels flashed rapidly, showing the previous ending scenes... Unsalvageable, Flower of the Abyss, Glorious Future, The Widow, After the Wasteland, Long Years, Dream of Heaven, The Day the Flowers Bloom, All Things Reborn, I Seal It, The Fire Bearer Left in the Night, Why Does the Nightingale's Heart Beat, Who is Su Ming'an...
Your and His ideal world, the Last Supper, after returning home, the bright sunshine in H City, dying from the ocean...
"Because you feel it's not 'perfect' enough... so you have to start over again and again?" Su Ming'an said calmly.
(Aren't you the same kind of person? The replay of White Sand Paradise, the thirty-third cycle of the Ruins World, the seaside of the Old World, and even now...aren't you also reliving it time and time again?) His thoughts responded.
He has completely taken a higher dimensional perspective; He knows everything and looks at Him from the perspective of a "viewer".
However, Su Ming'an shook his head:
"Your repeated regressions are all for the sake of achieving perfection."
"And my repeated retrospection is for the sake of [that there is no more perfection in this world]."
"Once, Xiaona told me I was a perfect scorer in the world of games because I made every dungeon the highest difficulty level perfect. I was also happy with my achievements, thinking I had done my best. But..."
He chuckled softly.
"This is just limiting oneself to a 'score' framework, finding the most predetermined path among countless golden roads. Aland said I'm a 10,000-point player, but he's wrong. I don't need that score assessment."
"In the golden forest, every path, whether it exists or not, whether it is a wide avenue trodden by many, a deserted path overgrown with weeds, or a muddy path that doesn't even exist... should be real."
"When everything reached a happy ending, I went to university, Yueyue went to create games, Su Lin returned to her hometown... Everyone got the life they longed for, then everything was reset, and everyone went back to the gutter. Some went back to the underpass, some went back to domestic violence, and nothing changed..."
He looked up.
"It's time to end this."
“You’ve deceived us. Xiao Ai told me that my soul is extremely thin and won’t recover even if the cat box is reset. If you continue to maintain this cat box… many, many people will cease to exist. They won’t be resurrected again and again as you say.”
"By now, countless lives must have perished in this cat carrier."
"Perhaps you think these are 'necessary sacrifices' for the ultimate goal. After all, they are all sandcastles destined to be swallowed up by the waves..."
……
[95%]
……
Su Ming'an raised his hand, holding the eraser, and shook his head.
There has never been any 'necessary sacrifice'.
He wiped it off.
……
[97%]
……
...No, do not proceed to the next section of the road!
...Don't turn to the next page!
...Don't let the progress increase any further!
...Don't scroll down!
...You already know all the killer moves, have listened to all my advice, and have heeded all my warnings.
Or let me lead you... to this page, this paragraph, this line.
This is the character...
……
……
“I have seen the children of the world deceived by two demons, becoming accomplices of false gods, and destroying half the world with a blazing sun.”
"I once saw a young man who dreamed of becoming a pilot, who eventually died from persecution in the light of day."
“I have seen the flames of the nest rise into the sky, while in the shadows, my companions devour their own flesh and blood.”
"I once saw a girl with orange eyes, contentedly closing her eyes in her brother's arms."
"I once saw a group of guys with ears, who were wielding bloody blades and plunging them into their own chests while dancing an absurd dance."
"I once saw a boy lift us up high, and he finally realized his glorious dream."
Heumis had gradually lost track of which times he had come close to success and which had come close to failure.
Perhaps even He Himself is lost in this endless repetition.
What's the point of covering a sandcastle?
Who will remember those once moving and inspiring stories?
He hoped that he would stop moving forward. He had already gone 99% of the way through this "book," and was just one step away from a blank future.
When he "turned" to the last page and located His position, He failed.
As long as he keeps "reading" and "deciphering"... will it never end?
As long as he continues reading endlessly, expanding on and on, filling the subsequent content with a multitude of characters, so that Su Ming'an never reaches the "last page"... perhaps, this "cat box" will never be broken, and everything will never end.
but.
……
[99%]
……
Having observed Rovassa for so long, He understood her better than anyone else…
……
"Book".
It will always be "read to the end".
……
"Click".
……
【6月2日，0点00分00秒】
[Time Remaining: 4 minutes]
……
[Cracking Progress: 100%]
[Reading progress: 100%]
……
The moment a new day dawned, Rovasa's 24-hour stay ended, and the World Game officially came to a close.
All players returned to the world of the main god, standing on the once boundless square, to await the final settlement.
Above, a twisted giant rabbit, its belly embroidered with blood-red scales, writhed and grotesque in posture. Like countless beginnings, it heralded the end of their game.
—Just as it was at the beginning.
—Just like the end.
……
"Shh-!"
By cutting through the layers of text and pixels and deciphering all the code, Su Ming'an located His position.
In an instant, he was plunged into the depths of his dream, looked up, and saw Him.
A purple figure stood amidst swaying wisteria blossoms, with a teacup and sugar cubes before him.
In order to maintain this dream and His ambition, He needs to constantly imitate the behavior of His original master, Si Que, to prevent being ostracized.
What is He really thinking? Can He still remember... His original intention?
"Shh!"
Suddenly, Su Lin appeared beside him, his wings spread wide, his figure like fire.
Su Lin arrived quietly amidst the turbulence just now. He could not return home in peace unless the cat box was removed.
“Su Ming’an, the Dream Lord’s cat box is incredibly stubborn. Even if you defeat Him, as long as the fact that ‘He was defeated’ is not completely anchored, Heumis will always find a way to re-weave lies and tamper with the predetermined defeat.” Su Lin’s palm landed on Su Ming’an’s shoulder, and a warm current flowed over him. “We must plug this loophole.”
One was a ball of blazing white, the other a ball of crimson gold; both of them were engulfed in flames.
Su Ming'an's gaze fell upon the person Su Lin had brought up—Isabella!
She had loose, off-white hair, a white eye painted on her forehead, and wore a slightly worn lab coat. She was thin and had a low-key demeanor. Although she possessed the aura of the god of inspiration, Veridoodo, she did not seem to be a god yet. Her presence here was thanks to Su Lin's protection.
Why did she come here?
“On my journey to find the God of Inspiration, Viridoro, I did not succeed in usurping His position. After all, a second-level god is far more powerful than a third-level god…” Isabella looked up, her eyes blazing, “but I persuaded Him that as a creation of the three primordial gods, the God of Inspiration could not defy the Radiant Mother Goddess, so He chose to hand over the ‘sword’ to me—I temporarily lent him my authority.”
Viridodo, the god of inspiration, is in charge of inspiration, wisdom, memory, and calculation.
The numbers that are approved by it will become formulas.
The facts that it has etched in its memory will become eternal.
Isabella's somewhat frail figure, draped in a tattered research robe, ascended into the air.
Looking into those ever-calm eyes, Su Ming'an was reminded of the moment when Isabella gracefully covered Siber with a blanket in the dome.
“Su Ming’an, you burned everything to pull Heumis off the throne, but we still need to ‘anchor’ to this fact,” Isabella said.
"You mean..." Su Ming'an concentrated all his strength on the raised blade of his sword. Su Lin's hand rested on his shoulder, and similar yet different energies continuously gathered around him. He looked back at Isabella, at her satisfied gaze.
Why does she feel satisfied?
Why is she smiling?
As a scientist, what did she finally prove at this moment?
He suddenly saw a transparent male ghost following Isabella. Disheveled hair, a weathered face, thick glasses... The man raised his thin chin, his eyes full of dark circles, and showed the same excitement as Isabella.
"Gods, higher dimensions, the world is a cat box, the universe is a cat box, the memory lens has become life..." The man trembled, laughing wildly, "Ha... Ahahaha! My research, my research!! It's not waste! It's not garbage that can be arbitrarily altered!!!"
……
Upon reviewing the experimental data, young Ran Bo gasped… His parents' idea was incredibly audacious; they actually wanted to give life to the “Memory Lenses.” The “Memory Lenses” were automatically generated, with no upper limit on their number, and could be found anywhere. Therefore, theoretically, once they became life, they would be immortal and omnipresent.
[Think about it, this is equivalent to any original character (OC) written automatically coming to life. The strongest among them are even comparable to the pseudo-Rin clan.]
……
"Wrong! I went in the wrong direction from the very beginning with my research!!!"
Ran Bo's gaze was intense, piercing through Isabella, as if examining the countless fragments of memories scattered and adrift in the Blackwater Dream, scattered by the final battle of this story. Those fragments reflected the moment Su Ming'an cleaved through the pixels, reflected the shocked expressions of countless people looking up in awe… They faithfully recorded everything that was happening "at this moment."
Isabella's gaze overlapped with Ranbo's fervor; at this moment, the calm scientist and the imaginative researcher were on the same wavelength: "The god of inspiration, Virido, governs 'remembering,' but 'remembering' is still a form of information. Under the rules of the 'box,' information can still be altered."
Su Ming'an felt a chill run down his spine. He understood.
Even if Isabella uses the authority of the God of Inspiration as a pretext, and Su Ming'an's extremely high status to "anchor" the fact that the Lord of Dreams has been defeated, as long as Heumis is not completely dead, He might still be able to use His remaining power to rewrite this "anchored" record and make a comeback. After all, the methods of higher dimensions are simply too numerous.
“So…” Su Ming’an looked at Ran Bo.
“Therefore,” Ranbo’s ghost floated in front of Isabella, his finger pointing excitedly at the floating memory mirrors, “we must give life to the events!”
"My parents' research... what they wanted to achieve using scientific methods was to give life to events! Because life is ever-renewing, like a wildfire, constantly reviving!"
Su Ming'an's eyes flickered slightly, and then he suddenly understood:
If the high and mighty "Cat Box People" can alter everything, what is there that they cannot alter?
During the years of the reign of the Radiant Mother Goddess, 99% of the world's people devoutly believed in Her, yet there were those who firmly remembered the correct mission, those whose legions remained clear-headed, and those who always believed in the Demon Mother Goddess... The most difficult thing to alter in this world is life!
Even though the Lord of Dreams could manipulate everything in the world, turning all living beings into puppets, a few individuals would still rebel and sever their own strings! Compared to the vast majority, their numbers were extremely small, yet they all played their part in this war!
Therefore, if this is a vast, desolate plain, then rebellious life will continue to thrive, like a wildfire.
Ink and words can be easily altered, history and news can be easily erased, events can be deleted or modified, but living lives cannot be fully controlled!
Therefore, we give life to events...!
“You want to…” Su Ming’an raised his eyes and looked at the elderly scientist.
"—To create an independent, active 'historical life form' that is anchored to the present moment and cannot be easily altered or deleted!?"
Ran Bo let out a laugh that sounded almost like crying: "Yes! That's it! It's not about creating a combat life like the pseudo-Lin Clan! It's about creating evidence of life, a walking fact, a conceptual life rooted in the rules of this moment and constantly proclaiming to all dimensions that 'the Lord of Dreams has been defeated'!"
"If successful, if Heumis wants to rewrite the history of 'himself being defeated,' he must first kill these mirror-like beings that have come back to life, are constantly being generated, and are constantly interacting with the existing world rules! The difficulty will increase exponentially, and it may even trigger a collapse of causality!"
"This is... the true value my parents researched. Not the worthless garbage they despise... but... something that can nail down the gods' escape route in a war to slay them..."
"Good research."
"Do you remember the wooden box I gave you, Su Ming'an?"
……
Su Ming'an sensed the immense energy within the wooden box; its intensity even startled him.
"I call it the 'Super Memory Lens.' If we open it, it might create a great life," Ran Bo said excitedly.
……
"Click".
White tentacles opened the wooden box.
Isabella picked up the lens from the wooden box and pressed it against her forehead.
Her tattered research robe fluttered wildly, and in an instant, the eye on her forehead shone brightly, cascading down like a waterfall onto the billions of mirrors below—Su Ming'an raised her sword to the sky, the heavens shattered, golden light fell, and all living beings looked up in awe…
Countless glowing memory lenses converged and intertwined—they all rushed toward the lens in Isabella's hand, as if being sucked into a black hole!
Amidst the chaotic light, Heumis seemed to sense a threat, and countless purple eyes suddenly turned towards Isabella!
Just being swept by an invisible gaze felt like a red-hot iron rod piercing through Isabella's brain! Blood instantly seeped from her nasal cavity, ear canals, and the corners of her eyes.
"Ugh—!"
She groaned, her body trembling violently. Unnatural red patches appeared on the skin beneath her lab coat, and capillaries ruptured.
But she did not close her eyes.
Her eyes turned into two burning suns, staring intently at the Lord of Dreams!
She is reading Him!
Every second, a massive amount of incomprehensible knowledge was imprinted into her soul, like a form of torture, burning her nerves and distorting her self.
The memory lenses on her forehead gradually began to beat and breathe, and were becoming a life.
A wild, scientist-like smile curled at the corners of her mouth, her face beaming with excitement, as if she had glimpsed the truth and mystery of the universe.
For a moment, Su Ming'an seemed to see Theresia, who was also burning herself out, but they were completely different at this moment.
Behind Isabella, Ranbo's ghostly presence gradually faded; he was long dead, merely a fragment of consciousness extracted from the river of time by the god of inspiration. After assisting Isabella, he slowly dissipated.
He has come from a young age, traversing thousands of mountains and rivers, from a remote small town to the center of the continent, to the world, and to the universe.
"If Oliver is meant to shine in this world—why was I, Ranbo, born into this world!?"
However, this moment is different.
"Here, the gods fell."
“Go…” Ran Bo stared intently at the spirit hovering above Isabella’s forehead, which was absorbing millions of memory lenses. He gradually dissipated, his tone filled with peace and satisfaction, “My research… is not useless.”
A researcher whose life was full of hardships and whose research was demoted finally received the proof he wanted after doubting himself.
"I am not an insignificant victim struggling repeatedly in the face of a formative era, nor a clown crushed into mud by the feet of geniuses and giants...!"
"A victim of the times, an individual is like grains of sand before the rolling wheels. Yet these grains of sand can still prick the feet of giants. I will become the hottest, roughest, most scorching grain of sand! So that even the genius standing on the shoulders of giants will feel pain!"
"I am Kosona Ranbo!"
"—Let me, this ember of the old era, be extinguished within the old era! Let me be the last fool of the scientific age! Let me be the stubborn madman in the cave!!!"
"Buzz—!!!"
A rapid, pounding heartbeat began.
Boom, boom, boom.
It sounded like something was being born.
An indescribable sense of presence spread out, accompanied by the breath of a brand new concept being born.
The lens on Isabella's forehead gradually relaxed.
It has no specific facial features, no fixed shape, yet everyone understands what it is. It is imprinted between the shattered sky and the dark blue cosmic background, representing the repeated pronouncements of the Memory Mirror, spontaneously interacting with the surrounding space and time.
It is a collection of countless memories, a cluster of light that brings together formulas, facts, history, possibilities, and the will of all beings.
Like a beating heart.
Isabella's body began to become transparent. Her consciousness, memories, and self evaporated, and in the end, she was almost nothing more than an outline drawn by a pale light.
Her long beige hair fluttered in the wind as she calmly adjusted her glasses, her trench coat billowing, and a smile graced her face.
She curled her lips into a smile and said silently:
"Heumis".
"—I see you."
In an instant, Isabella's pale figure vanished like a firefly amidst the swirling golden rain of light, silently dissipating into the cold vacuum.
The moment she saw His true form, her human body shattered; this was the price of anchoring herself to a god while still human.
Under the sweeping gaze of the eagle, Prometheus, who was searching for fire for humankind, caught a glimpse of the spark of fire in that instant.
At the moment Isabella vanished—
The moment the memory lens comes to life—
The moment when Heumis was "seen" by Isabella and many other beings—
……
—The anchor point drops instantly.
……
"Shh-!"
Su Ming'an broke through all the limitations of pixels and text, raised his sword high, and slashed at Heumis!
The Lord of Dreams knew that Isabella's actions meant that if he were to lose this battle, he would never be able to recover. But He also knew that even if Su Ming'an overcame all obstacles and reached him, there would still be one final hurdle—
It is now exactly midnight.
June 2nd, midnight.
The time for the world game to settle.
At the same time, a system notification suddenly sounded—
……
"Ding dong!"
[The world game has ended. Player (Su Ming'an), the bet you made with Xiao Na is now being settled.]
[Judgment: Humanity of Zhaixing wins. As agreed, the World Game will take you away.]
……
"You can't beat me!" The Lord of Dreams stood up, looking directly at Su Ming'an, who was bound by the power of the rules.
"As long as you are still a player—as long as you are still the [Number One Player], you cannot defeat me."
"You're too naive to beat me."
……
[“As long as we still see saving civilization as ‘completing a game,’ as long as we still see our mission as ‘main quests and side quests,’ as long as we still see the cosmic cycle as ‘saving and loading,’ as long as we still see our lives as ‘different endings (HE, BE, TE)’…”]
As long as the concept of "another world of games" is acknowledged, practiced, and unconsciously followed and reinforced by countless beings, the "god" born from that concept will remain invincible. Every "clearance," every "mission completed," every battle using "skills," and even every thought about "achieving a good ending in life" injects vitality into this "game."
"So, the 'God of Games,' so deeply intertwined with the concept of 'games'... the essence of the 'Lord of Dreams,' whom we've been searching for—conceptually, He is immortal!"
……
—As long as Su Ming'an is still a "player" and the "number one player", even if he breaks through thousands of troops, he will naturally not be able to defeat the Lord of Dreams.
As the defenses were breached, Heumis admitted that he did indeed sense danger, a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time. However, he still clung to a last hope that victory was impossible.
then.
……
"—!"
You have been influenced by the authority of "named" authority.
Your title of "Number One Player" is thus stripped away.
……
In an instant, the health bar screen disappeared, the inventory slots disappeared, and the already empty live stream chat also vanished.
A figure appeared in the dream, carrying Luigi Ricardoss.
The man with long, azure hair extended his palm, which shimmered with light. The flowing light slid over Su Ming'an, as if washing away the accumulated impurities on Su Ming'an's body.
"The mother's curse is wrong..." Lu said calmly, "whether it's out of self-protection or to protect others, whether it's out of beastly desires or out of genuine human sincerity."
His azure eyes gazed at Su Ming'an, then at the depths of his dream.
“… ‘Ambition’ and ‘sincerity’ can coexist.”
Lu opened his palm and used the "named" authority to take away Su Ming'an's "player" identity!
In that instant, the Lord of Dreams was no longer an "unbeatable" enemy.
All of this was too incredible. The Lord of Dreams had long been wary of Lu's authority, which posed a threat to Him. Therefore, during the Origin period, the Lord of Dreams devised a plan to use the "World Chessboard" to forcibly trap Lu within it.
How did the road come about?
Without the permission of the Lord of Dreams, what exactly is going on...?
"Shh!"
In Su Ming'an's palm, a lens of memory gleamed brightly.
This is his... fifth trump card.
……
At this moment, Su Ming'an suddenly felt something beside him, and looked down—
A packet of colorful sugar cubes lay quietly beside his fingers.
[You have obtained the Memory Lens - "The Creator's Tea Party".]
[Excitement Level: A+]
Thrill Level: B
Depth: S+
[Key elements: heartwarming, healing, dreamlike, long-term foreshadowing]
Overall rating: 53
[This is a special memory lens. Consuming it will directly increase your Creator's rank. Removing it during special events may have a breakthrough effect.]
……
—Ever since he learned that the master of the dream was "Si Li" and the original owner was Si Que, Su Ming'an had thought about what the master of the dream feared.
Si Que is now just an ordinary magpie, and even if he returns, he can't directly reclaim the Blackwater Dreamland. But this magpie is extremely cunning; he wouldn't truly give his all with a sincere heart, nor would he reincarnate with nothing, leaving himself with no trump cards. If Si Que could be summoned back, the Dream Lord's control over the Blackwater Dreamland would be further shaken.
Even at the very least, some gaps can appear.
The Lord of Dreams imitated Si Que in every way, setting up various traps and "foreshadowing" for Su Ming'an, but the one who was truly skilled in this was the original owner.
— Sugar cubes.
Throughout the Rovasa period, Si Que and Su Ming'an almost always left or ate sugar cubes whenever they met. Su Ming'an was particularly concerned about this suspicious memory lens. "If I take it out during a special plot development, it might have a breakthrough effect..." Under what circumstances would a memory lens containing the image of "Su Ming'an and Si Que playing with turtle soup in a dream" be necessary?
—It is a foreshadowing planted by the Magpie.
When it starts, the focus is not on the behavior of "turtle soup", but on the environment and state of "Su Ming'an and Si Que chatting in the Blackwater Dream".
Si Que is now an ordinary magpie; he can no longer return to the Blackwater Dream. However, he uses the power of creation to construct a dream within his own dream that is remarkably similar to the Blackwater Dream. Su Ming'an has also complained many times about why the Blackwater Dream of the Dream Lord looks exactly the same as Si Que's Blackwater Dream.
They are the same to begin with.
Si Que did this to connect cause and effect, so that the environment and state of "Su Ming'an and Si Que chatting in the Blackwater Dream" could be transformed into a usable "foreshadowing" and inserted into all the memory lenses of the Dream Lord's battle against Su Ming'an.
In this battle between "story" and "game", it becomes an unexpected and eye-opening outlier.
Like a hidden thread in the grass, its influence extends for miles.
Environment matching, status matching, character matching. Even if it's just a false Blackwater dream created by words—in this war that is itself made of "words"—it will definitely be effective.
This is another reason why Su Ming'an initially proposed this duel format to the Lord of Dreams. Su Ming'an had already considered that he could use this to summon Si Que.
All the cards are extremely fragmented. All the foreshadowing is barely noticeable. Like grains of sand in a crack, or specks of dust in a grain of rice, they are impossible for others to pick up or discover.
Only Su Ming'an, who never gave up any hope of breaking the deadlock, was able to string them together piece by piece, weaving them into a net, forming a logical chain that connected the beginning and the end, and truly putting them to use!
He placed every single fragment in the most effective position!
This is a sensitivity and wisdom that inspires both fear and awe...
Therefore, in the recent journey across the sea, under the cover of Lu Shu and others' stories, and amidst the endless barrage of words and pixels, Su Ming'an quietly used this memory lens.
He did not see Si Que, but he guessed that Si Que must have arrived through cause and effect, but was not here.
Sure enough, even though this action only opened a tiny crack in the Blackwater Dream... Si Que successfully took advantage of this crack. He did not greedily attack the Lord of Dreams directly, because he knew that this kind of "interlude" was not very efficient. Instead, he decisively chose the most correct target - to go to the World Chessboard and bring Lu Licarbos out!
At that time, the Lord of Dreams was fully focused on fighting Su Ming'an, and it was the most chaotic moment. The small game on the world chessboard, which had long been suspended, was allowed to slip away through the crack that Si Que gently knocked open.
In an instant, the "named" authority took effect, and Su Ming'an no longer faced the Lord of Dreams as the "Number One Player".
But -
merely,
Su Ming'an.
……
"The 'Number One Player'..." The pink-haired man chewed on the term, his empty eyes gazing outwards.
"You really should leave this kind of naming..."
……
Until—the moment you completely sever the sword of creation.
[Until—the moment the first player is completely annihilated.]
[—Thusoryus Olives, The Advent of the Gods, Book IV]
……
How much must humanity give up to truly pay homage to independence?
If a seed originates from a rose seed, can it only grow into a rose?
……
Su Ming'an is like this flower seed.
His origin is "player".
However, when he is complete, when he is abundant...
He can no longer only grow "roses".
……
Seeing Su Ming'an rushing towards the Lord of Dreams, about to shatter the "cat box," Chen Qingguang immediately warned him:
"Watch out for your bet with the World Game! Even though you've been temporarily stripped of the title of 'Number One Player,' the bet still stands! It's already being settled...!!!"
Su Ming'an looked ahead.
At that moment, he saw many enormous figures... the Lord of the End of All Things, the Seventh Seat, and even more distant higher dimensions...
His battle with the Lord of Dreams was so large that it attracted many high-dimensional beings to watch. It seems they were eager to seize the last fruit and snatch it from the tiger's mouth.
He cannot be interfered with by them, nor can he be taken away by the world's games.
At that moment, a smile appeared on his lips.
He clenched his fist and gently blew on it.
It is said that by making this gesture, unseen good fortune will descend upon them.
“I know,” he said.
"Isn't this...someone coming to 'take over' the work?"
……
The timing was intentional on Su Ming'an's part. At 9:04 PM, he challenged the Lord of Dreams to a three-hour battle, precisely to ensure that just as the battle was about to end... the time would reach midnight, and the world game would begin its settlement.
This seems to be very disadvantageous for him, as he will be taken away by the World Game because of his bet with Xiaona.
however--
He smiled and looked ahead.
"boom--!!!"
A loud bang came from beside my ears.
An invisible ripple swept over everyone present—the power of the rules. It was as if two cosmic organs had collided with a deafening roar!
— Su Ming'an took advantage of this rule.
Back at the Source, he had already discovered that the collision of two cosmic organs would produce miraculous effects. When the World Game encountered the Source, both sides would be in a state of collision and fusion, resulting in a decrease in their strength. Even Xiao Na was extremely nervous, fearing that Yue Yue and Xing Huo would rebel.
At this moment, he merged with the pseudo-cosmic organ, the Black Water Dream, and precisely timed his move to trigger the world game's judgment—
Once again, it was like Mars colliding with a comet.
—The rules and judgments of "World Game" and "Blackwater Dream" collided violently!
An invisible and intangible storm swept across the area, making the form of the Lord of Dreams extremely thin.
In that instant, both sides were weakened in the fusion, and the Dream Lord's last defensive power vanished, while Su Ming'an's sword pierced through His figure.
"Shh."
It sounded like something breaking.
Distance lost its meaning on a conceptual level; he felt as if he had "passed through" something.
It felt like passing through a soft film of water, or like turning the pages of a thick book...
"The last page".
In that instant, the power belonging to the Blackwater Dream was grasped in Su Ming'an's palm. He had finally completely seized the power of the Dream Lord, and the cat box shattered—
At the same time, a powerful force of rules suddenly grabbed at Su Ming'an, trying to forcibly take him away and fulfill the bet!
"Da, da, da."
—At this moment, someone slowly walked over.
It was as if he was supposed to show up on time.
It was as if the rivers had finally converged at this moment.
He resembled a nobleman who had accepted an invitation to a tea party.
Light, punctual, and elegant.
"Da, da, da."
The blue roses adorning the brim of the hat trembled slightly, as if they had just been plucked from someone's dream, and a few strands of golden hair peeked out from the brim of the hat, like melting honey.
His eyes... were no longer the inky blue, but a pure blue, as clear as the first melting snow in the mountains. His red robes fluttered like flames dancing in a fireplace, and his blue rose cane paused slightly, making a crisp sound.
It was as if he had just emerged from a garden with forking paths, carrying the scent of rose petals, like a pure blue rose gradually taking shape on the path.
……
"—[Bloom like Ophelia, before the river swallows your eyes. Allow me to offer you flowers of congratulations, if you have already known all sin and punishment.]"
……
The magician under the wisteria raised his palm; on the back of his hand were ten blue rose petals, with only one petal remaining.
……
"Every time you launch an attack that exceeds your limits, a petal will fall from the back of your hand," the God of Chaos told Noel.
"When all the petals have fallen, that is when your life withers."
"At that time, I will take your body."
"Also, the 'piano music box' you asked me to make is finished. Here you go."
……
At that moment, the last blue rose petal burst into flame, and Noel lit it herself.
“…I have lingered in front of the woods more than once, pondering, searching for an answer…” Noel Agni looked over, her eyes pure, “I was determined to break this ‘cat box’.”
At this moment, Su Ming'an's "Soul Ferry" was activated instantly. It couldn't be used before because Soul Ferry couldn't be used against enemies. Now, after being strengthened by the Demon Mother Goddess, it can be used.
In that instant, he glimpsed Noel's past...
……
In a failed cycle.
On one occasion, Su Ming'an discovered the existence of the Lord of Dreams, but failed at the last moment when he stood before Him.
Breaking this box is incredibly difficult. The slightest mistake, the slightest hesitation... and you're doomed.
On his deathbed, Su Ming'an erected a barrier, the one he had obtained at the very end of this journey, a shield to prevent observation. He gazed at Noel and whispered, "We've already paid a heavy price to get here. Who knows how many tens of thousands of times we'll have a similar opportunity again… We'll be like a sandcastle washed away by the waves, remembering nothing…"
Noel grasped his cold hand, pondered for a moment, and slowly said, "Unless... one of us, whether it's you, me, Lu Shu, or anyone else... can retain memories, can grasp the method of leaving foreshadowing, even if it's just a little bit..."
"Otherwise, our efforts will always be '0'. No matter how many times 0 is multiplied, it will still be 0, and there will be no growth. Someone must make what is left each time a number other than 0. Even if it is as small as 0.01, if it is repeated 10,000 times, 0.01 can become 100..."
The young man's dark eyes reflected his blue eyes.
At this moment, both sides made up their minds.
“I will become a sober one,” Su Ming’an said. “I will join His ranks… As long as I remember, even just a little bit, it will not be in vain.”
However, Noel shook his head and decisively said, "I'll go."
Noel continued, “Your ability will repeatedly erode your soul, making it unable to bear these endless memories any longer; the soul's capacity is finite. Even if I believe you can do it, it's best if I become the one who is awake. After all, you are the spiritual leader in humanity's hearts, and you have the highest chance of leading them to defeat the Lord of Dreams. I will be your backup; if you stray from your path or head towards reset again, I will cut off your way forward. After all, as the number of times increases, as He understands us more and more, as His cosmic organs become more complete, our challenges will only become more and more difficult, eventually trapping us completely in His box until everyone dies from exhaustion of their souls. We are His experiments; the sooner we win, the better.”
"Of course, I understand. Su Ming'an, you see each reincarnation as a true life. If I forcibly cut off your path, you will not be willing."
“I admit that this was a kind of greed of mine. I do not deny my sins. I cannot bear to be trapped in a cage that keeps being reset. In order to pursue my ideal... a free and independent new world... I will do it.”
"If people are afraid of the darkness of the forest, light a fire and burn the forest down, forcing them to look directly at the sky. If people are afraid of the vastness of the ocean, break wood to make boats and take copper to make rudders, and use nautical charts and new sea routes to make people realize how small the ocean is."
Those blue eyes were full of ambition.
"If the forest stands in my way, I will burn it down."
Like a bird in flight, there is absolutely no endurance.
Greed, lust, freedom.
Vigorous and intense, sharp and full.
Even if it means cutting off the path of others.
A glint flashed in Su Ming'an's eyes. He closed them and, after a moment, said:
"Noel, I disagree with one of your statements. It's not that we need to 'add one by one' to accumulate 0.01 to 100."
His bloodshot eyes were sharp and resolute.
"I believe that even if I only have one chance, I can accumulate from 0 to 100."
“We cannot view life as ‘one success after another,’ hoping to accumulate success gradually through repeated attempts. We will never be able to defeat Him that way.”
“I believe that even without any memory, I will walk a great distance. Every time I will walk a great distance—I will definitely face the Lord of Dreams in the best possible condition.”
"Perhaps you have far more information than I do. After all, you are the clear-headed one. You will examine your path and mine from a higher perspective, and may even assassinate me for the sake of efficiency, thus bringing about the next one sooner."
"Then come on, I will confront you head-on. We once achieved a spiritual partnership through complete information and communication. Now let's see if we can reach the same destination without any information or communication."
“I believe that even without any memory, I can keep my soul pure, go from 0 to 100, and reach the end on my own, challenging the Lord of Dreams... until that last moment, when we converge again. If there are any omissions or deviations in me at that time, you can help me fill them in.”
"I believe that as long as our goals are the same, even if our ideals are different, even if our actions are completely different."
He opened his bloodshot eyes, revealing a wistful, greedy, and ambitious smile.
"—We can also meet again on our divergent paths."
……
"Nothing has changed since that day."
"It's become increasingly difficult for things to remain unchanged."
……
After becoming a sober individual, Noel gained more information and indeed became the greedy person he described, doing everything in his power to cut off other paths in order to achieve what he considered the best one.
First "perfection," then "freedom." First, walk along the narrow, golden path through the forest, then countless paths of freedom will suddenly open up. Like a butterfly flapping its wings, the accumulated bones eventually form a tower of love.
Overall, Noel's behavior did not affect efficiency; on the contrary, it boosted it. To explore why Noel's attitude changed so suddenly, Su Ming'an would get closer and closer to the Blackwater Dream each time, and reach the end faster and faster each time.
Neither of them abandoned their ideals for the other; on the contrary, they both walked their opposing paths with fervor and greed. Just like this time, Noel ruthlessly tried to cut off Su Ming'an's path time and time again, while Su Ming'an, relying on his amnesia, maintained the purity of his soul and stubbornly walked to the end on his own.
Before this, their paths had always been completely opposite.
But at the very last moment before meeting the Lord of Dreams—the rivers successfully converged, their paths leading to the same destination. Having reached this point, their conflicting positions no longer existed.
Conflicting shadows, having traveled a long and winding road, finally overlap.
A tacit understanding that transcends countless cycles.
A journey that requires no explicit explanation.
The traveler remained seated opposite the adventurer, the Ferris wheel spinning again and again, the building blocks rising and falling over time.
But what if we sit across from each other?
Are the tiny compartments of the Ferris wheel they're sitting in not leading to the same destination?
Even if we sit back to back, even if we go our separate ways.
Finally, the Ferris wheel slowly stopped rotating, and the cycle ended.
The Ferris wheel cabin slowly came to a stop, and the door opened—travelers and adventurers had arrived at the same point on the ground.
……
"Although that bird is not yet able to take flight,"
"But one day it will soar high into the sky."
"The unreachable places are still separated by thousands of mountains and rivers."
"I can only keep my wishes hidden deep in my heart and gaze into the distance..."
……
The blue pupils reflected the dark eyes.
Let the future become nothingness.
Because that would be a brand new and undefined "new world".
There are no bad endings, happy endings, or true endings; there are no words about the ending; there is no description, only a blank sky and a sea of flowers covering the mountains.
"Shh-!"
At the moment the Lord of Dreams was pierced by Su Ming'an, the Lord of the End of All Things and other high-dimensional beings looked on with predatory eyes.
At the same instant.
The "magician" walked slowly beneath the wisteria blossoms, a gesture reminiscent of a handover in a world of ruins. That time, it was to welcome the host, who were eyeing the world with predatory intent; this time, it's to welcome the higher dimensions, who are also watching with predatory intent.
He hummed the song softly, just as he had once said with a gentle smile, "Can you wait for me to finish this song?"
Singing a song and completing what needs to be done is a ritual for a "magician" before performing a magic trick, just like a white dove always elegantly preening its feathers before taking flight.
Until... the last blue rose on the back of her hand burned out, Noel closed her eyes, her breath stopped, and she fell into death.
At this moment, because of the bet Noel had made, the moment the ten blue roses burned out, the God of Chaos arrived instantly, to seize Noel's body...
What shocked the God of Chaos was that not only Him, but also the Lord of the End of All Things and several higher dimensions followed.
Noel deceived Him! Noel not only made a contract with Him, but with multiple higher dimensions, making the exact same contract!
"Three, two, one..."
"Crack-!"
Countless white tentacles surged up, and Su Ming'an shattered the cat carrier.
At the same moment the cat carrier shattered, the cosmic organ, the true "brain," cast its observation upon this location.
……
"Every time you launch an attack that exceeds your limits, a petal will fall from the back of your hand," the God of Chaos told Noel.
"When all the petals have fallen, that is when your life withers."
"At that time, I will take your body."
……
Why...why can't they possess Noel Agni?
The Lord of the End of All Things, the Lord of Chaos, and other high-dimensional beings were stuck at this moment. They discovered that although Noel's ten-petaled blue rose had burned out and Noel was dead, they should have fulfilled their bet, but they could not possess him.
They were all stuck at this moment, unable to interfere with Su Ming'an's final battle.
In the black water, blond hair drifted with the current, like the feathers of a dead bird. The boy lay quietly in the water, just like the scene when Su Ming'an killed him, drifting on the water.
Noel is undoubtedly dead, so why can't they possess him?
Noel showed no signs of life, therefore he is considered dead! The bet should stand!
Su Ming'an raised his head.
He looked in one direction.
He looked towards...
……
you.
……
The moment Su Ming'an smashed the cat carrier and the cosmic organ brain looked over, everything took on the form of the "observed".
Life and death have both become two-dimensional concepts.
—At this moment, as a civilization radiated by the wandering brain, your civilization, along with many others, has become the "observer civilization," and you have seen the existence of the name "Noel Agni."
Even from the perspective of an observer, you can still observe the existence of "Noel Agnes".
In the eyes of higher dimensions such as the Lord of the End of All Things, and in the eyes of the beings in these cat boxes, Noel is "dead".
But in your eyes, Noel's words are "alive".
This amazing "magician," this adventurer from the universe, invited you long ago...
—How can such a magical magic show be performed without an audience?
……
"Then, let the show begin." Noel held a playing card between his index finger and brought it to his lips.
"—The greatest magician of this century. Noelle Arginine."
Welcome to the new world.
He turned around, looked in your direction, and gave you a bright smile.
"My dear audience."
……
You saw Schrödinger in him.
As an "observer," civilization unfolds before you like a progress bar, and you cannot definitively determine Noel Agni's absolute death at this moment. Su Ming'an and the others, at this instant, become "the observed civilization," their fates indefinable.
The higher dimensions all stopped at this moment, and Schrödinger's result made it impossible to determine Noel's bet for a long time.
……
【Hand of Redemption (Red-tier, Evolvable): "Asar, not a single person stands by my side."】
Physical Defense Value: 5 points
[Mental Defense Value: 5 points]
[Type: Special hand equipment.]
[Skill (Copy): You can copy one skill owned by another player, enjoying 60% of that skill's effectiveness. This copy requires the consent of the player whose skill is being copied.]
……
The moment he defeated the Lord of Dreams, Su Ming'an felt the puppet threads pierce his body. They were fine, soft, like feathers. He didn't resist; instead, he immediately used "Hand of Redemption" and the puppet threads as well.
The puppet threads of the two intertwined, and Su Ming'an felt his soul being gradually pulled out. He did not resist, already knowing what Noel was going to do.
Ultimately, his soul was absorbed into the crystal piano in the boy's hands.
The object used to store souls always has a crystal-like texture. This is a soul storage item that Noel had prepared long ago.
Then, using Lu's "named" authority, at the moment when Su Ming'an's existence briefly disappeared, at the moment when Noel entered Su Ming'an's body with the puppet silk, at the moment when Lu bestowed a false "name" upon Noel—
Exchange identities.
Once again—"handover".
White birds fly, and top hats fall to the ground.
The judgment of the World Game Bet has been made and is now in effect!
"Shh-!"
The being who "appears to be Su Ming'an but is actually Noel" was determined by the bet and taken away by the rules of the world game, carried away into the sky.
The next moment, the crystal piano shattered, and Su Ming'an's figure reappeared. As a higher dimension, he no longer needed a fixed body, and soon a new body was generated.
His palm thrust forward with all his might—
Finally, this time.
"Snapped."
He took Noel's hand.
Like a string, it held back a kite that was about to disappear.
No longer letting magicians be led astray by the rules, no longer helplessly waiting for the judgment of the world game, after the verdict was reached, Su Ming'an grasped the boy's hand without hesitation.
—Noel must complete this "handover." Su Ming'an deliberately chose midnight to trigger his bet's judgment, attracting the World Game, this cosmic organ, and destroying the Dream Lord's last power. However, the downside is that once the bet's judgment is reached, Su Ming'an will be taken by the World Game. If Noel hadn't "handed over" in this way, Su Ming'an could still have won, but he would have been entangled with the World Game for a long time. The Blackwater Dream is once again without a master, and the Dream Lord may rise from the ashes.
If the Lord of Dreams were to rise from the ashes, Noel, as a conscious individual, would find no freedom. Noel must ensure that the Lord of Dreams is completely killed by Su Ming'an before Noel's ideals can be realized and he can truly move towards a new world.
Therefore, Noel initiated this "handover".
Without words or communication, the moment Noel appeared, even though Su Ming'an had no memories, he immediately knew what Noel was going to do.
Truly clever "code words"...
—There is no longer a need for "code words".
Therefore, Su Ming'an used the "Hand of Redemption" skill to copy the puppet threads, pulling Noel's soul into his own body. Noel, in turn, used the puppet threads to pull Su Ming'an's soul into the crystal piano.
Noel had helped Su Ming'an commit suicide in this way before, and both of them were very skilled at it.
Then, with the help of Lu's "named" authority, their identities were instantly swapped. Even a fleeting moment was enough—the moment of judgment in the world game arrived, and Noel was taken away by the rules. The now-free Su Ming'an immediately rebuilt his body, reclaimed his name, and then—
……
—Hold the boy's hand.
……
"—Noel Agnes."
"I extend a towering invitation to you!!!"
……
Three minutes.
I'll save you.
This time, the Tower's invitation is no longer about being your enemy.
……