Ian Prince stood beside the time machine, ready to step inside, when suddenly a warm golden light descended from the sky, enveloping him completely.
This light was not blindingly sickly like that of an Evil God, but soft and full of vitality like the morning sun.
"Ian Prince," the voice of Sun God Ra resonated directly in his heart, "The hope you bring to this world deserves a special reward."
This was also a blessing.
Different from the blessing of the Pluton couple before.
A blessing from the Divine King, it took effect on Ian. The golden light gradually condensed, transforming into countless tiny runes, flowing like liquid gold into Ian's body. He felt an unprecedented warm strength flowing through his veins, perfectly merging with his magic power.
"Henceforth, your White Magic will be augmented by Solar Divine Power."
Ra's voice was solemn and loving, "Light will be your source of strength, shadows will recede before you. This is the Sun's gift to the Guardian."
Ian felt the divine power surging within him and couldn't help but feel reverent: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the blessing. I will make good use of this power and will not betray the Sun's trust."
Ra's golden eyes flickered with a hint of a smile: "Go, traveler of time. Your mission is not over, more challenges await you in the future."
His voice seemed to imply something, but Ian did not perceive it. Ian stared at his list searching for materials, only feeling that he was like cattle under Female Titan Claire.
Ian bowed deeply and then stepped into the time machine cabin. As the cabin door closed, the indicator lights on the control panel lit up in sequence. He took one last look through the porthole at this ancient era—Sun God Ra stood tall upon the ruins, exuding sacred light, healing this scarred land.
"Initiate time-space jump," Ian pressed the button.
The time machine emitted a buzzing sound and began to fade. As Ian activated the time machine, the entire altar erupted with dazzling light, time and space began to distort, as if the universe itself trembled for this moment. In the instant before completely disappearing, Ian seemed to see Ra cast a meaningful glance at him.
As the time machine vanished into the air, Sun God Ra still gazed in that direction, lost in thought. Upon the yellow sands, only the empty temple ruins remained.
And the Sun, still hanging high.
A moment later, ripples appeared in the void, figures emerged from the seams of light and shadow. Thoth, God of Wisdom, crowned with the Crown of the Red Heron, holding a scroll, his eyes glittering with contemplative light. Horus, God of the Sky, eagle-headed with human body, wings spread, his gaze sharp as a knife.
Other gods, including Anubis, Sekhmet... appeared one by one, surrounding Ra.
A shadow gathered beside him, and Pluton Osiris, who had earlier departed, walked out from the darkness: "You just let him leave? I feel an ancient aura about him."
Another soft light flashed, and Goddess Isis gracefully arrived: "Indeed, his bloodline bears the mark of the Prince family, but there's something else... something even older."
Sky God Horus descended, his sharp eagle eyes narrowed: "Father, you seem to pay special attention to that mortal. Who exactly is he?"
Ra's gaze still looked toward the direction where the time machine disappeared.
Without answering immediately.
He looked up at the sky, as though gazing at some distant existence. After a long time, he slowly spoke, his voice like coming from the end of time, a mystical smile on his lips: "Before the birth of the divine spirits, it was there watching. At the universe's end, it remains watching."
"Both the beginning and the end."
This was a very Riddler-like response, one could say it was answering without answering.
"What are you talking about?" Isis gently asked, "'It' refers to whom?"
Ra still did not directly answer. His gaze was deep, as if it penetrated countless layers of time-space curtains. The gods exchanged glances, feeling puzzled by this cryptic speech.
The Pluton whispered: "Are you referring to... ancient secrets? Mist Raven?"
Being a divine spirit whose territory lies within Misty Illusion Realm, Pluton understood Misty Illusion Realm better than other ancient Egyptian deities, thus aware of its immortal legend.
"I don't know."
Ra smiled without replying, then changed the topic: "Though the threat of Set-Apep is resolved, a greater crisis still approaches. We must be prepared."
Osiris's face grew serious: "Precisely because we foresaw the descent of that power, we had to fall into slumber, giving that foul creature an opportunity."
Horus flew up, circling in the air: "What is that crisis shrouding the entire divine system? Even you, Father, had to die once to set things in motion?"
These second-generation divine beings did not know much.
"Why do you choose to bless at this moment? You have just been resurrected, with your divine power yet to fully recover. Bestowing the Power of Origin upon others consumes greatly from you."
Anubis softly questioned the recent blessing Sun God gave that peculiar human; he had fought Ian and found him nothing short of eccentric.
Ra finally turned around, his gaze sweeping over each deity. At that moment, there was a fleeting sympathetic glimmer in his eyes.
"Because I have long foreseen." Ra's voice was heavy and grave, "My fall was no accident."
All the gods reacted with shock.
"You... knew all along?" Osiris exclaimed.