A thousand years come and go like a breeze.
Immortal cultivation forces one to have a skewed sense of time. What feels extremely long as a mortal is but a single seclusion to an immortal cultivator.
For a thousand years, I did nothing but to study this Remembrance Path. It is a power system that differs vastly from immortal cultivation. Its most gring strength, which is also its fw, is that it affects all eleven spatial dimensions from the start. The rest is up to how far the Pathstrider walks under the influence of the said Path.
The biggest fw was that this power was ‘borrowed’ and ‘controlled’. Everything is up to the Aeons THEMSELVES. It is the exact opposite of immortal cultivation, whereas one’s power is built from the ground up.
I might have reservations borrowing power from live Aeons, but for the Remembrance Path, it is a different matter. Its Aeon, Fuli, is not yet born. The ones using Remembrance’s power are the Pure Child of Anasvara. They are the beings born out of Fuli’s fragments. Their powers varied, but they will always be lower than that of an Aeon.
My current progress…
[Theoretical Limit: 78%]
[True Limit: 60%]
It took a thousand years to raise it all up to 60%. The connection fed back from my divine mind to the stigma space confirmed it. Everything that I earned in Amphoreus went to the stigma space anchored to my main body.
As for the theoretical limit, it is my limit after the limitations of Tao Heart are lifted. Anything beyond 60% required an eighth-level Tao Heart, corresponding to the Dao Integration Realm.
All that was left was a few more years. After that, I will reach the maximum 80%, which is the same as Demiurge’s level. It is an important threshold, which made these st 2% more difficult than my progress from 0% to 78%.
Even amongst Emanators, Demiurge is special. She is a part of a literal time loop, travelling from the future to the past before the present proceeds back to the future; before another loop begins.
The number of things I can do at that point is beyond plentiful. Whether it is to reinforce the power that “erases” this cycle from the rest of the world or reshape it according to my memories, I can do it all.
Three years, 80%.
That is my current goal.
To reach that, I need to integrate all of Amphoreus’ memories. Phainon’s thirty-three million cycles, Cyrene’s thirty-three million stories, and the Bck Tide’s thirty-three million attempts to destroy the world…
I need to experience them all.
The disturbance caused by Cyrene’s coincidental arrival slowly disappeared. I gave her a ‘countermeasure’ in case this round of comprehension causes something hazardous.
My mind fell back to the wonderful epiphany-like state…
*****
“Ah~?”
Cyrene bnkly stared at the book she held. Its blue crystal-like cover emitted a mystical glow.
Inside it were the cards she used for the prophecy. By no means it was coincidental that the figures inside these cards are very simir to the twelve Demigods. It was one of the reasons why Cyrene approached Hysilens.
There is now an extra card. It featured the silhouette of a boy with shoulder-length purple hair. His facial features are not present in the card’s illustration. The blue crystal book he held stood out.
Underneath was a text written in Amphoreus’ alphabet:
Author.
Just as she stared at the new card, it turned into a fsh of golden light. It seeped straight into the book, As I Have Written. Its blue crystalline cover turned bright gold.
On one of its empty pages, words after words appeared out of thin air.
This world wrought by the Destruction destined for Deliverance;
The right time passes, the final confrontation ensues;
The awakening of the evil god, Irontomb, is fraught with danger;
Yet it is also the final chance to destroy the false infinity;
The world’s facade shatter;
Tragedies and woe disappear under the pen’s tip;
So long as the forgotten cycle never sleeps;
Leading the world to a brand new dawn.
Reading it, Cyrene is certain.
It is a story.
A brand new story that no one has ever seen. A story that deviates everything, leading Amphoreus out of the starry skies… out of the invisible shackles tying it down.
For a moment, the memories of all the other Cyrenes burst forth from her slender figure. Before she knew it, she found herself… crying.
“I… What’s wrong with me..?”
Cyrene has no memories of her fifteen million selves, yet she felt nothing but boundless sorrow and ment.
Love may overcome ment, but who would choose a tragic ending when one can go for a better one?
“Are you alright?”
Phainon ran straight to her side. He did not mind the boat’s rocking. His physical body is far beyond that of his peers. He can remain stable amidst the turbulent waves.
“Um. I am alright~”
Click.
The book soon returned to normal. The [Author] card also returned to its rightful pce, squeezed between the book’s pages. The power of Remembrance that surged forth also receded.
‘If there really was a happy ending…’
*****
The mainnd of Amphoreus was fraught in danger. It was no longer as safe as one thousand years ago. What was once at the edges of the continent is now at its heart. Only three major city-states remain fully-functional, each with their measures to combat against the Bck Tide.
What concerned these city-states was Styxia. It was the historical ndmark that bore the beginning of the Fmechase Journey. Even now, the Bck Tide could not penetrate the city.
Unexpectedly, it was actually the base of the infamous Bck Knights. This fact was discovered about five years ago when their members set off to escort others to Okhema.
Up to now, their rescue efforts never ceased, slightly overturning the infamy they built over the years.
Cng-!
Bam-!
Phainon sent one of the titankins holding a book. The philosopher’s barrier had zero effect towards the stat monster known as Phainon.
“Hold the shields! Arms crossed!”
The forty-something survivors from Aedes Elysiae never faced peace. Upon nding, they were greeted by Bck Tide creatures, abyssal sirens, and titankins corrupted by the Bck Tide.
It was through Phainon’s leadership and strength that they only lost five people.
Later on, Cyrene awakened a unique power as well.
Seeing everyone staking their lives to protect them—the children—she made her choice.
The mysterious [Author] card that appeared one day was summoned forth.
Hum-!
Click.
A line of text appeared on the empty page.
The King of Knights led her subjects to victory.
Instantly, a silhouette wrapped in golden light emerged beside Cyrene. Once the light died down, the familiar appearance of the golden-haired woman draped in knight armor presented herself.
“We meet again, young dy.”
“Sister Artoria!”
Almost everyone turned their gazes to Artoria.
“We’re saved…”
“Don’t rex yet. I’ll ugh at your grave once you die in a me way!”
Phainon also saw her. His heart gripped with tension eased somewhat.
“Everyone! Focus on defending!”
Artoria soon made her move. An invisible sword coated in air appeared on her grasp. Her figure turned into a blur as she went through one enemy after another. The titankins crumbled into dust. The Bck Tide creatures died under her bde. The sirens let out wails of relief and liberation.
The physique granted by the Red Dragon’s Core dwarfs everyone in this world.
She turned her gaze towards Phainon.
“I suggest you move out of this pce. I will cover you.”
“Thanks, big sis!”
Just then, the thumping sounds of horses resounded from afar. The trademark bck robes made their identities clear:
The Bck Knights.