"Time to take the stage... is it?"
Watching Aha, [The Elation], be utterly consumed by the seven-colored radiance and disappear into the frigid void, Ron remained silent for a long time, murmuring the words Aha had left behind.
To be honest... he didn't feel that his own power was all that great.
Whether it was Terminus, [The End], or IX, [The Nihility], they both possessed power far stronger than his own— Among these Aeons, his strength was that of a weak newcomer, an existence who had just ascended to Aeonhood. His current ability to put up a fight was due not only to his own efforts but also, to some extent, to the tacit approval and help of other Aeons...
The reason Terminus and IX had not yet managed to completely erase the threat of Ron was due to a few coincidental factors, as well as the overt and covert obstruction from other Aeons.
—Just like what had happened a moment ago. If Ron hadn't had the warning from Aha, [The Elation], just a single clone from IX, [The Nihility], would have been enough to completely erase any possibility of his resistance, ensuring he had no chance of success and forcing the future of this sea of stars back onto its proper track.
But now, Aha, [The Elation], had told him that his power was actually greater than he imagined. Instead of delaying and preparing for every eventuality, it was better to take the stage sooner...
Ron didn't understand why Aha would come to such a conclusion... but he didn't think Aha was lying to him.
After all, if Aha truly wanted to be Ron's enemy, He wouldn't even need to act personally; He could just watch coldly from the sidelines.
Ron had just been completely deceived by IX. If Aha hadn't reminded him, Ron himself would have had his consciousness, his memories, and his very self effortlessly erased by IX, leading his plan to total failure.
So... what was Aha implying?
What was this power that Ron had always possessed but had failed to realize?
Ron thoughtfully rubbed his chin, momentarily lost in contemplation.
He hadn't failed to consider any of his abilities... To complete his plan, he had already done his best to calculate everything into his schemes.
So... judging by Aha's behavior, could He mean...
...He was going to personally step in and help him?
Ron pondered for a moment, and he felt Aha's attitude gradually becoming clearer.
This Aeon, who had always puzzled him with His motives and had even gradually made him wary, was actually holding onto the purest of ideals. For the sake of the joy of this sea of stars, He was willing to wade into these muddy waters...
If that was the case, then it seemed this could not be delayed any longer.
Ron thought for a moment and figured out the key.
Since Aha, [The Elation], wanted him to take the stage sooner, and given that Aha clearly bore him no ill will, perhaps now was no longer the time for leisurely preparations.
Although Ron really wanted to return to Belobog and lay down a few chess pieces, just as he had done with the backup plan at the Herta Space Station, and make some small preparations in Belobog as well—
But now it seemed that time was not as abundant as he had imagined... The moment to race against the clock had already arrived.
Otherwise, there would have been no need for Aha to urge him to take the stage now, to have him directly begin the plan to set the sea of stars ablaze...
Ron had originally thought that according to the "Moment" of Nous, [The Erudition], since he would die at the hands of Terminus seven days from now, then he would only encounter unavoidable trouble seven days later. The time before that would be the calm before the storm, time left for him to prepare...
But now it seemed that the countdown for the "Moment" of Nous might have already begun long before—
The destined "Moment" would occur on time, and what pushed it to happen was naturally everything that had occurred before...
Although there were still seven days until the moment "Ron dies by [The End]," the clock of fate had already begun to tick. Perhaps the cause that would lead to Ron's death seven days later was happening right here, right now. Since they had to race against the clock, even if it meant rushing things, it was time to raise the curtain.
Thinking of this, Ron couldn't help but shake his head with a touch of helplessness.
He had originally wanted to follow the Astral Express crew and Bronya back to Belobog, spend a good two days there, catch up with some old friends, and see them one more time—
After all, if he truly resolved to begin this drama of burning the sea of stars, there was a very high probability that he would never have the chance to return here again...
But now it seemed... perhaps he could only look at them from a distance.
Ron sighed softly in his heart and gently took a step, walking back toward the path to Belobog.
The road was buried in snow, and an icy wind whipped up, the head-on blizzard practically burying him in the drifts.
Ron felt a rare sense of nostalgia for this kind of cold weather... His days in Belobog had not been particularly wonderful. The memories of standing guard at the gate of Qlipoth Fort far outnumbered the times he had run around for other incidents. And back then, Belobog had always been like this.
Cold, icy, the air like a cutting blade. Ron had always hated this kind of weather. The cold wind would chap his face, sometimes even causing it to crack... But thinking back now, it was just a knife that lightly grazed the skin, not particularly sharp at all.
Compared to the cold fate of this sea of stars, the piercing wind of Belobog was but a gentle breeze, as soft as a young girl's delicate hand.
Ron had actually thought about it... If he wasn't burdened with so much, if he was just an ordinary Silvermane Guard in Belobog, standing guard at Qlipoth Fort for a lifetime, would his life be better than it was now?
The Astral Express would eventually save Belobog. After that, no matter what miserable state Belobog fell into, its path would eventually reconnect with the civilized societies of this sea of stars. At that time, Ron would always have a chance to pursue the life he wanted, perhaps carving out a place for himself in this sea of stars.
Whether he strived or not, whether he struggled to become a legend or lazily lived out his days as a gate guard, perhaps Ron's life would not be like it was now, with a ninety-nine percent chance of dying in seven days, meeting the [End] that was destined for him.
His life could have had so many possibilities... a more laid-back path, perhaps becoming a kept man in Qlipoth Fort, living off Bronya's fortune while watching Belobog's revival; a more ambitious path, perhaps waiting for Belobog to be acquired by the Interastral Peace Corporation, climbing the corporate ladder bit by bit, and eventually sitting on a P47 throne to become a renowned figure in this sea of stars; he could have even stowed away to the Xianzhou [Luofu] and become a freeloader who refused to leave, spending his days playing cards, jesting, and catching ghosts, living a happy-go-lucky life...
—Or even, boarding the Astral Express, becoming a glorious Nameless, dedicating his future to a misty, unknown path, doing his part to reconnect the civilizations in this sea of stars.
But now... it was meaningless to think about these things.
Ron walked into the city of Belobog. Bronya was standing by the roadside, craning her neck in anticipation, looking out of the city on her tiptoes. Snowflakes had landed on the tip of her nose; she must have been waiting here for a long time.
March 7th and Stelle were roughhousing nearby, full of curiosity as they looked at the surrounding, recovering new city of Belobog. From time to time, they would chat with passing Silvermane Guards and Cloud Knights, or talk with the civil servants sent by the Luofu's Six Commissions for aid, asking about everything in Belobog, and occasionally inquiring about the local customs of the Xianzhou.
Seeing all this, Ron subconsciously clenched his fists. His palm grew slightly warm, as if he had grasped something.
The faint trace of melancholy that had just flickered in his heart was completely dispersed.
That's right... If he didn't bear all of this, if on that evening, he hadn't chosen to fully load the life simulation game and set foot on this irreversible path to becoming a legend, perhaps his life would have had countless possibilities...
But... when he truly set foot on this path and learned of the future of this sea of stars, he no longer had any other choice.
He was not born to be a person of obscurity.
A lifetime, long or short, must bloom like a flower, not melt into the mud like melting snow.
Ron would only become a legend.
Not for fame, not for legend itself, but simply because he felt that, just like the scene before him now, all of this should continue.
It couldn't be that everything had to be reset time and time again under [The End], that everyone's lives and hopes were shrouded in gloom, that all futures were worn away, leaving only the shadow of despair in its wake.
Seeing Belobog getting better bit by bit under the aid of the Xianzhou [Luofu], Ron felt a subtle and wonderful emotion in his heart.
Relief? Peace of mind? Joy?
Perhaps... it was simply the feeling that his arrival had meaning, that some things had changed for the better because he had been there.
That was enough.
He just wanted this world to be a little better because he had been here.
"Ron!"
Seeing Ron emerge from the snowstorm, the waiting Bronya was the first to spot him. She stood on her tiptoes, raised her hand high, and waved at him. Then, she quickly ran toward him, her face clearly showing a hint of worry.
The moment Ron had said he needed to speak with Sampo alone, Bronya had already sensed that something was wrong. She didn't think there was anything between Ron and Sampo that needed to be kept from them...
The reason Ron had them go on ahead, back to Belobog, was probably because he was afraid there would be some danger if they stayed there...
But in front of the current Ron, even if Sampo was an Emanator of [The Elation], what danger could he pose?
It had to be... an even more terrifying existence.
The guess in Bronya's heart filled her with worry. Although Ron looked unharmed, who knew what other methods that entity had...
But before Bronya could voice her concerns, she saw Ron shake his head, raising a finger to her lips, clearly not wanting to waste time on pointless worries.
"Time is short, Bronya."
Ron's tone was calm. He didn't avoid Stelle and March 7th, who had run over full of curiosity behind Bronya. He gently raised his head and cast his gaze toward the distant starry sky.
"I originally wanted to see them one more time, and also make some backup plans in Belobog... but it seems there's no time now."
"[The Elation] Aha is urging me to take the stage. The 'Moment' of Nous [The Erudition] has foretold my fall seven days from now... I always plan for the worst, which means seven days from now, I will definitely die."
Hearing Ron's words, although Bronya didn't clearly understand the details of what he was saying, she could understand the not-so-good meaning in his resolute tone...
He was going to die, in just seven days.
Bronya wanted to say something, but she found that she was completely unable to find a way—the games between Aeons had nothing to do with her. Her abilities were stuck here. Let alone finding a way to turn the tables for Ron, she couldn't even offer words of comfort...
After all, with such shocking news, she hadn't even figured out how to comfort herself yet.
But Ron had long been mentally prepared and had no need for Bronya's comfort...
He squinted his eyes slightly, watching as the stars in the sky gradually took on a darker hue. A ripple began to spread through his calm voice:
"But in other words, since the 'Moment' of Nous said that I will only die by [The End] seven days from now... then in these seven days, I definitely will not die!"
His face was gradually overcome by an untamed emotion, the corner of his mouth hooking into an almost imperceptible, ruthless arc:
"Since I won't die... then I might as well take the stage right now, do everything I need to do, light a fire for this sea of stars, a fire the likes of which has never been seen before!"
Hearing these words, the worry and chaos in Bronya's heart were inexplicably calmed.
Because she knew... Ron was going to do it.
The thing he had to do, he was about to begin.
In that case... there was nothing to worry about.
The plan Ron had made could not possibly fail.
This was the trust Bronya had in Ron.
And after Ron finished explaining, he didn't prepare to waste any more time.
He just wanted to tell Bronya what he was about to do, to spare her from being kept in the dark and worrying endlessly while he was gone, never to return...
And now, even this "farewell" was over. There was truly nothing left to hold him back.
He just took a deep breath, calmed his mind, and softly called out to the friend who had always been by his side—
"Help me out, Mythus, [The Enigmata]."
He took out the lantern. The brilliant lamp flame flickered, its radiant golden light growing brighter, and a scorching aura began to flow from it...
The brilliant golden light suddenly shot into the sky, tearing the world apart like a sharp sword's edge.
"The final act is unveiled... We, it's time to take the stage."
PS: To be honest, it's been a hassle. I had originally written 20,000 words and already finished the ending, but I've been busy with moving, social obligations, and all sorts of things that have been giving me a headache... And then, probably because I was feeling so busy and annoyed, what I managed to write in my spare time was tinged with a bit of aggression, and I somehow ended up with a bad end where Ron dies. ... This deviated from the outline, and it wasn't until I finished writing that I felt something was off. It was supposed to be a happy ending, but I couldn't just swap it out for a bizarre bad end. So I deleted that bit of bizarre plot, made some edits to the earlier parts, and managed to put this chapter together. I was originally thinking of posting after I finished the ending, but I feel like if I don't update soon, my ancestors' graves are going to be dug up, so I figured I'd just release this for everyone to see. The next chapter is the final chapter. Let me think about how to write it. Anyway, this book will definitely be finished this month. Please, everyone, give me some time. I've been so busy lately it's making my scalp tingle. Once my life settles down, I'll write it quickly...