---o---
(Note: This chapter is an if-storyline, not part of the book's main plot. It is a timeline that could have occurred due to certain factors…
This timeline is a Bad End; the conclusion will not be a happy one. Furthermore, because it is an IF-line that deviates only slightly from the main story, this IF-plot may not feature any extremely significant changes.
I will not be writing anything disgusting or upsetting in this if-storyline, so everyone can rest assured—however, considering this chapter is free, if you all read it and truly feel I've written something poorly, you are not allowed to curse me, because this is a free chapter.
I've already released it for free, so my dear brothers, please show me some mercy and don't berate me.
OK, defensive buffs are up. If you have no problem with any of the above, then just treat this as a casual read and feel free to continue…)
*The plot of this chapter follows Chapter 215.
---o---
As another consciousness of his own returned, it merged into Ron's thoughts, bringing with it an unprecedented sensation…
What does it feel like to be devoured by [The Nihility]?
Across this sea of stars, perhaps no one can say for sure…
It is said that a few members of an outrageously arrogant Annihilation Gang once sought to make a name for themselves across the cosmos, and so they decided to kill an Aeon to write their legend.
[The Elation] Aha, delighted to see their overconfidence, guided them to the domain of [The Nihility] IX.
And then… they vanished completely, transformed from [Existence] into [Non-existence].
This is a widely circulated tale in the sea of stars, one that people love to tell. But if one were to ask for more information regarding [The Nihility] IX, there is nothing more to be found, save for the legendary "IX Organization."
Perhaps this is because [The Nihility] IX is inherently mysterious, or perhaps it is because all who have come into contact with [The Nihility] have been utterly devoured by that dim and inscrutable chaos… Ron was more inclined to believe the latter.
Because he himself had been devoured by that dim and inscrutable chaos once before.
In the last simulation, he had incinerated himself, completely forging his very being and the Path of [Salvation] into a single Guiding Spirit Lantern. In the end, a part of his consciousness remained within the lantern, allowing him to activate its power and tear open the curtain of fate that shrouded the world.
And though that fragment of consciousness had nearly lost all reason by the end, it still clearly remembered what had transpired in the final moments of that simulation…
That is why that same tranquility was now deeply engraved in his mind.
[The Nihility] IX spoke to him, but its words were accompanied by a dim and murky river of starlight—a river of chaos that washed over the Guiding Spirit Lantern and the pillar of light from [Salvation], and also over Ron's remaining consciousness.
After being scoured by this glittering, chaotic torrent, Ron's consciousness instantly lost all thought…
He had originally been on the verge of mental collapse from the excruciating pain of self-immolation. Even with only a sliver of consciousness remaining, an endless agony had echoed with the burning of the flame.
But after the dim, chaotic torrent summoned by [The Nihility] IX washed over the Guiding Spirit Lantern, the pain in Ron's consciousness was instantly erased.
Even such unimaginable agony, such intense emotion, would be transformed into meaningless "tranquility" in an instant under the scouring of [The Nihility] IX.
His thoughts were like a placid autumn lake, so calm that not a single ripple could form…
Only his memories and thoughts were gradually reduced to pure "meaninglessness" by this terrifying power, utterly transforming from "existence" to "non-existence," vanishing into the sea of stars.
However, this power had only been inflicted upon the consciousness of Ron within the simulation. So, when Ron left the simulation and returned to reality, aside from remembering the sensation, his real consciousness was not affected in the slightest.
But… the moment he loaded the entry "Guiding Spirit Lantern" and summoned the lamp, everything changed.
Ron could clearly feel that within the Guiding Spirit Lantern, a consciousness was sinking into an extremely bizarre tranquility, and it was dissipating at an incredible speed…
The moment the lantern was brought out by Ron, this consciousness made contact with him. Ron could clearly perceive the message it was sending, hearing the words it murmured, which, despite the bizarre tranquility brought by [The Nihility] IX, still seemed somewhat agitated by the current situation—
"It's me…"
"It's all real… the simulation… it's real…"
The intermittent murmurs were transmitted from the lantern, clearly reaching Ron's mind.
But it could only go this far… The pitch of the fragmented whispers grew lower and lower, gradually becoming fainter until it slowly faded away, without another sound.
Ron could also feel the last remnants of that consciousness being gradually consumed by that bizarre tranquility, its state of existence twisted in an extremely subtle way, changing from "existence" to "non-existence," vanishing from sight completely.
Ron stared blankly at the Guiding Spirit Lantern in his hand. The light from within was unable to escape due to the lamp's unique construction, but it held a searing, brilliant golden glow. The power of [Salvation] surged within, and a faint warmth emanated from the lantern, constantly reminding Ron that he was truly holding such a lamp in his hand…
It also reminded him that the whispers he had just heard were real.
Why… would my own consciousness be left inside this Guiding Spirit Lantern?!
This question echoed in Ron's mind, its voice deafening, leaving him feeling dizzy and bewildered for a moment.
No wonder he felt this way… He had originally thought it was just a fake simulation, but now, his own remnant had appeared. A part of his consciousness had remained on the Guiding Spirit Lantern. This was something that should have been utterly impossible!
His consciousness had indeed entered the simulation, but it had also returned completely unscathed. He was standing here right now, unharmed, his thoughts clear as he looked at the simulation's light screen—
His consciousness hadn't been affected in the slightest, so why would a remnant of it be on the Guiding Spirit Lantern?
It was as if… as if the last simulation wasn't a fake simulation at all, but a real event that had truly occurred. As if he had really thrown himself into the Furnace of Creation as raw material to be refined, forging a Guiding Spirit Lantern that retained a part of his consciousness!
But… how was that possible?
The Life Simulation Game had always just been a simulation. If all of this was real, then how could he possibly be alive right now?
He would have died in the Fragmentum at the end of the first simulation, becoming a phantom that roamed its depths!
But… but…
Ron's thoughts were now a chaotic mess. The current situation had completely disrupted his thinking. He had begun to have immense doubts about the Life Simulation Game itself.
Though Ron had always been suspicious, meticulously thinking through most matters dozens of times before making a decision on a perfect plan, and often trusting only himself, he now felt lost because of this.
He trusted himself, but he trusted himself far too much—the current him was himself, but was the consciousness that had just dissipated from the Guiding Spirit Lantern not also himself?
Ron could be certain… that consciousness was absolutely his own, the him who had truly experienced the last simulation as reality…
And he himself, despite having entered that kind of near-certain death situation, would have done everything in his power to tell the Ron he saw in the real world the most critical piece of information.
Although the murmurs of that consciousness were intermittent, Ron knew exactly what "he" wanted to say.
The simulation is real. It's that simple.
The Life Simulation Game was not just another simulation in Ron's eyes; it was a series of events that had actually, truly happened…
Ron pressed his slightly throbbing temples, forcing his turbulent mind to gradually calm down, allowing himself to regain his composure.
Although this matter was indeed a huge shock to him, it was far from enough to make Ron's sanity collapse.
It was just… a bit jarring.
Comforting himself this way, Ron closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, letting his thoughts settle. He began to ponder what this situation truly meant…
Since the Life Simulation Game was not a simple simulation, and everything that happened within it had occurred in the real world, then what on earth could have accomplished the phenomena presented by the Life Simulation Game?
A parallel world?
Ron thought for a moment, then shook his head, ruling out this possibility directly.
Come to think of it, it was impossible… The fundamental foundation of this sea of stars is the Sea of Quanta and the Tree of Existence. The world itself is the Tree of Existence, and the Tree of Existence is unique. There is no such thing as a "parallel world."
After all, for two Aeons like Terminus, the Finality, and IX, the Nihility, "uniqueness" is the most likely state. Ron couldn't bear to imagine the existence of countless versions of these two Aeons…
It's like the Astral Express. Having one March 7th on board is already chaotic enough; he couldn't even bring himself to imagine a hundred March 7ths appearing on the train. If this cosmos were stuffed with a hundred of Terminus, the Finality, or IX, the Nihility… never mind whether the universe would descend into utter chaos, Terminus and IX themselves would probably not agree to it.
So…
Ron pondered for a moment and, with extreme reluctance, arrived at an incredibly heavy possibility—
That would be that every single simulation in the Life Simulation Game… experiences the "Finale" fixed by Terminus, the Finality.
The Finale of Terminus is the Tree of Existence returning to its seed form, then sprouting new branches and leaves once more. The world is reshaped after its demise, and everything is replayed according to the fate set in motion by Terminus. This naturally provides a new stage for every simulation.
Thinking carefully, back when he was in the simulation, when he had personally embodied the simulation, he had seen the fundamental nature of the game's power…
It was a power that controlled fate, of the same origin as Terminus, the Finality.
And now Ron understood. The power that Terminus wielded over fate originated from the Tree of Existence itself. He was the incarnation of the Tree of Existence, so he could easily control everything within it.
So, since the Life Simulation Game possessed this power, and also bore a striking resemblance to Terminus—its curtain of fate merely changing from black and white to transparent—why couldn't it also be considered Terminus?
Or rather, perhaps it is a part of Terminus…
Terminus, the Finality, time and time again resolves all events in this sea of stars that could affect the predetermined finale. Time and time again, it tirelessly reboots this cosmos, replaying that incredibly boring ending. The Life Simulation Game is, in fact, doing the same thing.
It provides the ability to simulate, allowing Ron to attempt to influence the actions that lead to the pushback of [The End]'s finale, time and time again rebooting a life simulation, time and time again allowing for minuscule changes to the simulation's outcome…
Since it's already doing this, why can't the Life Simulation Game be called a part of Terminus? Why can't we see the game and the "rigid program" that controls the sea of stars as the same thing?
Ron thought about it this way, and in that instant, he had a flash of insight.
Right… Terminus is a being that moves backward through time. Although he is the incarnation of the Tree of Existence, Ron also knew clearly that his true birth is at the very end of everything—the moment the Tree of Existence begins to collapse back into a seed.
He is powerful now, but in reality, he has not yet been born… He is still doing his utmost to influence the fate of this sea of stars, ensuring everything proceeds along its established path, toward that fixed ending.
Ron thought and thought, only to realize that after all this, he had returned to his starting point.
Although he now had far more information than before, he had reached a conclusion remarkably similar to his previous one—
That is, Terminus, the Finality, has yet to be born. With each step taken toward the future, its power grows stronger.
To deal with him… the sooner, the better.
And now, looking at the Life Simulation Game, and thinking of the warning from [The Nihility] IX, Ron had a moment of clarity.
His expression became a little dazed, then a little stunned.
He looked at the light screen of the Life Simulation Game before him, a momentary silence falling over him…
He knew what he had to do next.
Since Terminus, the Finality, has not yet been born, and the Life Simulation Game is a power so similar to it, and [The Nihility] IX wants Ron to help it deal with Terminus, to erase that boring period at the end of this sea of stars—
Then why doesn't Ron truly replace Terminus and become that [The End] himself?
One must know, Terminus is a being that moves backward through time. As of now, he has not yet been born…
He understood… No wonder the project plan "Alter the Finale" was so difficult. No wonder the progress for the Path of [The End] was infinite…
Because that represents the power and crown of the Aeon of [The End], the power needed to alter the ultimate finale of this sea of stars…
It is the path to replacing Terminus and becoming the new [The End]. It is not a simple requirement to become a Pathstrider of [The End]!
And that is why it is the final entry in the project plan, because aside from this, there are no other solutions…
Only by becoming the new [The End] can a new finale be written for this sea of stars!
Found it… I've finally found it.
This one… possibility to overthrow Terminus.
Before, Ron had tried so many simulations, but all he could obtain was a single Guiding Spirit Lantern. By breaking through the curtain of fate, he could see the truth upon the Tree of Existence. He was incredibly far from the goal of dealing with Terminus, so far that he didn't even have a starting point for a plan.
But now he had grasped the thread of this unsolvable riddle, pulled open the silk of fate, and the path forward was now clearly laid out before Ron—if he wanted to escape this predetermined fate, he just had to become the end of fate itself.
By becoming the new [The End], this difficult problem would be solved.
Although this goal was still extremely distant for Ron, it was already a leap of progress beyond imagination.
After all… he now had a direction to move forward. As long as he followed the plan step-by-step and tried to complete it, that would be enough.
With the Life Simulation Game in hand, Ron, who could try and fail an infinite number of times, had never feared the hardships that lay ahead…
He would have countless chances to simulate, so what if it was difficult?
Success was inevitable… But before fantasizing about success, he had to make a proper plan first.
With this in his heart, Ron turned his head to look at Herta, who had just emerged from the simulation and whose consciousness had returned to her body. His tone carried a hint of excitement as he said:
"Herta… I've found a lead on how to deal with Terminus…"
But what answered Ron's excited words was Herta's slightly darkened gaze.
In her normally placid eyes, a hard-to-define, subtle emotion was burning…
---o---
Herta was in a bad mood.
A very, very bad mood.
When did it start? When did this anger begin to burn from the bottom of her heart?
Was it when Ron, ignoring her protests, jumped into the Furnace of Creation?
Yes, that was the moment.
The color in Herta's pupils dimmed, looking murky and unclear. An emotion that should never have appeared was now stirring in the depths of her heart.
She watched as new text jumped onto the light screen—
[You helped Ron guide his consciousness, burning and forging him in the Furnace of Creation, and amidst his miserable screams, successfully forged the miraculous Guiding Spirit Lantern…]
Seeing the words on the light screen, Herta subconsciously clenched her fists. The exquisite puppet body now displayed the reaction of a real flesh-and-blood body; the segmented bionic fingers turned white from the pressure, as if real blood flow had been forcefully cut off.
She didn't want to see this. With some irritation, she tapped the simulation screen before her, quickly skipping past these annoying simulation summaries. She watched as one simulation entry after another popped up, then watched them fade away, one by one…
[The Guiding Spirit Lantern tore open the curtain of fate. You saw Terminus, the Finality, controlling the Tree of Existence, completely connected to it, with [The Nihility] IX circling by its side…]
[[The Nihility] IX has devoured the Guiding Spirit Lantern…]
[[The Destruction] Nanook is once again controlled by Terminus, the Finality…]
[[The Destruction] Nanook has incinerated the Xianzhou [Luofu]…]
[Everything moves toward the fixed finale. Game over.]
[Your rating for this Life Simulation is—100 points.]
[As an Emanator of [Erudition], you constantly bring your superhuman intellect into play—]
[You successfully discovered Ron's secret, sought him out in reality, and successfully joined a miracle project that will affect the future of the sea of stars.]
[You have successfully completed this project, and in this plan, your contributions are absolutely indispensable.]
[Whether it was capturing the [Lord Ravager Phantylia] or guiding Ron's consciousness to forge him into…]
Seeing the settlement entries pop up on the light screen, Herta's expression grew even gloomier.
She gnashed her teeth and clicked the screen, skipping, skipping, continuing to skip, completely bypassing the infuriating simulation settlement…
[You have successfully completed a simulation. Please choose—]
[1. Obtain "[Salvation] Ron's Remnant Divinity" x1]
[2. Obtain "Guiding Spirit Lantern Remnant Fragment" x1]
[3. Obtain "Furnace of Creation Ash" x1]
Herta fell silent for a long time.
She looked at the reward options on the light screen, and ripples appeared in her pupils, which had always been as calm as an ancient well. It was impossible to know what kind of turbulent waves were surging in the depths of her heart right now.
After a moment, she gritted her teeth and clicked the first option on the screen, choosing the one that was theoretically the most beneficial.
The moment she made her choice, Herta felt a warm current surge up from below her. It was as if heat was erupting from the ground beneath her feet. A warm sensation started from the tips of her toes and rose upwards. She was like an empty vessel being filled with hot water, instantly filled with warmth.
The power of warmth filled Herta's entire body. She knew this was not a physical sensation, but a feeling on the level of her so-called "spirituality"—
The fragmented remnants of [Salvation], which had been erased by [The Nihility] IX, were now pouring into Herta's body. This power was almost comparable to what she had possessed in the previous simulation. If the Path of [Salvation] had not yet been blazed in reality, Herta was afraid she would have already become an Emanator of [Salvation]…
But even with such a reward and benefit, Herta's mood did not improve in the slightest.
The moment she thought of this being the remnant of Ron after he had been burned to nothing and then erased by [The Nihility] IX, her pupils would darken, and the indescribable emotion within them would intensify…
She remained silent until Ron's cheerful voice reached her ears—
"Herta… I've found a lead on how to deal with Terminus…"
Herta raised her head, her gaze幽幽 as she looked at the rather excited Ron before her.
To be honest, Herta had never seen Ron "smile."
She had seen Ron smile, but most of the time it was a helpless, bitter smile, or a polite smile born from social etiquette… She had never seen a smile of genuine joy appear on Ron's face.
The expressions one could see on Ron's face were mostly a furrowed-brow contemplation, or the hesitation of calculating gains and losses when a price had to be paid…
And the sorrow that almost never dissipated from between his brows.
Yes, sorrow, wasn't it?
No matter the time, Ron carried a pressure on him that he couldn't seem to let go of… This appearance of his was to be expected.
But Ron was smiling now… What good news had he figured out that would make him smile?
Herta looked at Ron in silence, but she felt that this might not necessarily be good news.
She merely suppressed the emotions at the bottom of her heart, maintained the calm she had cultivated for who knows how many years, and asked placidly:
"What way?"
"It's simple," the smile on Ron's face seemed not the least bit fake. "I just need to try walking the Path of [The End], and become Terminus, the Finality, myself…"
"The last simulation gave me a lot of useful information… Although some of it touched upon the 'sensitive words' of Terminus, which I can't explain clearly, I can tell you my current conclusion…"
"[The End] Terminus is a being that moves backward through time, yet he controls the Tree of Existence. He is the incarnation of this sea of stars, so the finale of this sea of stars is naturally in his grasp…"
"But then again, since he is a being that moves backward through time, before reaching that fixed finale, he is a being that has not yet been born—and since he has not yet been born, I have the possibility of replacing him and becoming the new [The End]."
As Ron spoke, he looked at Herta earnestly and said:
"Although I'm not yet clear on how exactly to become [The End], the power of the Life Simulation Game is similar to that of [The End], and besides Terminus, the vast majority of Aeons want to see a new [The End] be born. With their help, if I just try a few more times, I might be able to find a way to become [The End]."
"I think we can consider it now. Should we first take the most conservative approach and try to align with the philosophy of the Path of [The End] and walk upon it, or should I directly seek out [The Nihility] IX? This being has strong opinions about the current [The End], and is at least on the same level as Terminus. Even if he can't make me into [The End], he can definitely provide significant help…"
As she watched Ron seriously analyzing what he should do next, laying out his plans in a long and methodical speech, Herta's expression grew even gloomier.
She looked at Ron, suddenly gritted her teeth, her voice tinged with a hint of anger as she interrupted him:
"Ron, do you think I'm an idiot?"
Interrupted, Ron was a bit stunned, unsure how to respond for a moment:
"...What do you mean by that?"
Herta just stared at Ron coldly, unhesitatingly poking a hole in the one point he had been forcing himself to ignore—
"Oh, Ron, you're so impressive. There are so many Aeons in this sea of stars, and who knows how many of them have ascended to the peak of the Tree of Existence. [The Nihility] IX is even capable of standing on par with Terminus, yet only you can become the new [The End]. You truly are one of a kind."
Hearing Herta's words, the smile on Ron's face was popped like a bubble, gradually dissipating.
Watching Ron's reaction, Herta let out another cold "hmph":
"At least one Aeon, [The Elation] Aha, has ascended to the top of the Tree of Existence. He surely knows what you know, and perhaps even more clearly than you… But why didn't he become the new [The End]? And what about [The Nihility] IX? Was he incapable of doing it?"
"They don't want to be that [The End]… Everyone is guiding you to become the new [The End]. Are you really the one everyone hopes for, the child of destiny, Ron?"
"Terminus is like a string of cold code, always existing between born and unborn, merely standing at the end of the world's finale, gazing out at this sea of stars… Before becoming [The End], did he really want to become a cosmic reboot machine with empty power?"
Herta spoke coldly, unhesitatingly revealing the problem that Ron had long been aware of:
"He definitely didn't want to, but [The End] is probably just like that… This is perhaps not something he could choose to change. Perhaps the moment he became [The End], he was completely transformed into this state."
"The Path's Source Motive binds the actions of the Aeons. You, as [Salvation], should know this better than I do… But for a normal Aeon, their Path is merely a branch of the Tree of Existence. [The End], however, controls the Tree of Existence itself…"
"What would happen to a Path that is the Tree of Existence itself, one whose Source Motive is just a common branch?"
"I see it now. The Aeons wanting to push you to become [The End] is probably just to have you take the fall, not because all the Aeons genuinely want to support you and push you onto the throne, to become the one who completely controls this sea of stars."
"Even this 'Life Simulation Game' thing uses the same power as Terminus. It looks so much like a contingency plan from Terminus himself…"
"The schemes between Aeons are endless. Can you be sure that Terminus truly has no intelligence, that he isn't just looking for an unlucky fool to take over his tedious duties?"
"Stop pretending, Ron… You know this better than anyone. You probably figured out these problems long ago, but you still pretended not to have noticed, trying to trick me, trying to trick everyone into supporting your plan, and just like that, you'll try to walk the Path of becoming [The End]…"
"I believe you will succeed, but it is for that very reason that I will never allow you to do this."
Herta spoke, and within the gloom of her pupils, one could finally discern the complexity of her emotions, seeing a trace of sorrow beneath the anger.
"Tell me, Ron."
She looked at Ron, speaking with an unprecedented seriousness:
"Do you really think that even if you become that never-to-be-born [The End], standing at the other side of the story, gazing back, traveling alone against time, losing your consciousness to become this so-called [The End], it doesn't matter?"
"...Is there truly nothing and no one in this world that you care about anymore, Ron?"
"...I didn't think of all that, Herta."
Ron was silent for a moment. Looking at Herta before him, a smile once again tugged at the corner of his mouth:
"I don't think this matter is as complicated as you imagine. The reason Terminus became what he is isn't necessarily because of the Path's Source Motive. It could be because he himself is just like that…"
"So you can't find a reason to refute the idea that 'the Aeons are conspiring to make you the new [The End]'?"
Herta pointed out the loophole in Ron's words, leaving him at a loss for what to say for a moment.
She looked at Ron with intense seriousness. After a moment, she suddenly said, out of nowhere:
"Does it hurt?"
Ron was slightly taken aback. "What?"
Herta's tone was calm. "I'm asking you, when you threw yourself as material into the Furnace of Creation, when you were being forged in the holy fire of [Salvation], did it hurt?"
"...That was a long time ago. It was just a simulation. What's the importance of a mere personal feeling?"
Ron avoided the question, but Herta didn't need him to give her the answer.
Because besides Ron, the person who knew the most about the pain he suffered in the Furnace of Creation was Herta herself.
Herta had guided Ron's consciousness, tracing the patterns on the lantern, for two whole days… and for two whole days, she had listened to Ron's agonizing screams.
Herta knew exactly how much pain Ron had been in, which was why her heart was now filled with even more surging anger as she looked at him.
She looked at Ron's evasive eyes, her words tinged with a hint of mockery, yet one could also hear a sliver of sorrow seeping through:
"Oh, right, a personal feeling in a simulation is of no importance… And yet, you would advise Bronya to give up, afraid that she would be burned by Phantylia's flames, leaving the pain of a scorched soul in her memory…"
Herta's sharp gaze seemed to want to dissect Ron's heart as she stared straight at him:
"But what about you? Why could you jump into a furnace during a firsthand simulation, forging yourself into a lamp?"
"I don't know what you've been through, Ron… I don't understand you, but I'm very curious as to why you are so 'selfless'."
"Ultimately, why did it make you become this person who doesn't care about himself at all?"
"Do you truly have no lingering attachments to this sea of stars? Perhaps you only just arrived on the Xianzhou [Luofu], and you have no feelings for the land beneath your feet… but what about Belobog?"
"When you set foot on the soil of Jarilo-VI, was there truly nothing on that land that could make you feel attachment?"
Herta spoke, and a genuine sorrow seeped from the bottom of her eyes, which had always been rather indifferent to most things. Her words seemed to carry a subtle… plea.
She looked at Ron, her lips moving for a moment, and in the end, she had to determinedly seek an answer from his mouth:
"You… Are you truly willing to become that so-called [The End], standing at the end of the story, looking back in solitude, and giving up everything you have now?"
Ron was silent for a moment, then he gritted his teeth.
"I… I really don't have much to be attached to."
"Herta, you don't actually know. Belobog isn't the home that raised me. I don't really have any sense of belonging here. Everything I did before was just to live in peace. I don't have that much…"
But before Ron could finish, Herta cut him off with a sharp cry.
This was the first time Ron had ever seen Herta show such intense anger. It was hard to imagine this Emanator of [Erudition], who had always been known for her rationality, showing such an emotional display…
She grabbed Ron's hand, roughly pressing his palm against his own chest, against his now rapidly beating heart, and demanded through gritted teeth:
"Really, Ron? Is that what you truly think?"
"Search your heart. Is that really what you think? Do you really not care about any of this, and that's why you made the choice to become [The End]?"
Ron felt immense pressure, not because of some boring cliché like a difference in power, but because of Herta's intense and pure emotion pressing down on him, making him face this earnest question with no idea how to respond.
He was silent for a long time, only able to barely maintain his earlier statement, saying:
"Herta, I'm not lying."
"But your eyes have already told me the truth, Ron."
Herta snapped her fingers. The authority of [Erudition] allowed her to easily create a simple, lifeless object… and she had created a mirror.
She roughly shoved the mirror in front of Ron, forcing him to look at himself:
"Look at your own eyes. Look at these evasive, fearful eyes…"
"Listen to the sound of your heart, pounding from nervousness. You tell me, Ron, are you truly willing to become the never-to-arrive [The End] and bid farewell to all of this?!"
Yes, am I really willing?
Looking at himself in the mirror, a bitter smile couldn't help but appear on Ron's lips.
Herta was right, not a single word was wrong.
His eyes were evasive, and a trace of fear flickered within them.
His heart was pounding nonstop, his nervousness making it hard to breathe.
Herta was right.
He was afraid.
Ron was not an unfeeling god; he never had been.
He was just an ordinary person… an ordinary person who had always strived for a peaceful life.
Of course he would be afraid.
How could Ron not see everything Herta had pointed out?
The Life Simulation Game was a cheat ability he had loaded since he transmigrated to this sea of stars. Ron could have considered it a simple, wonderful gift from some unknown source, treating it as the greatest aid in his new life.
But he was not someone who daydreamed like that.
Every gift of fate has long had its price secretly marked. He had always understood this truth.
From the very beginning, he didn't have enough information about the Life Simulation Game, so naturally, he couldn't define it… but things were different now.
Just as Herta had said, the Life Simulation Game was simply too strange…
It used the same power as Terminus. With its help, he had even given birth to himself—the Aeon of [Salvation] in the simulation—a puppet that Terminus could most easily manipulate.
Perhaps this reason could be attributed to [Salvation] from the simulation having devoured [The Destruction], but Ron knew that was absolutely not the main reason.
The reason… had already manifested itself in the Deific Authority of [Salvation].
The Deific Authority of [Salvation] could anchor the future, create miracles, and break the shackles of fate—
But who could say that the future anchored by [Salvation] was not a new, predetermined fate?
The reason Ron had reached his current position, though mostly due to his own choices, still had many factors guided by the Life Simulation Game.
This seemingly unintelligent simulation game was clearly guiding Ron toward the direction of [The End].
Ron could see this problem. After all, the behavior of [The Nihility] IX and the fundamental nature of the game's power were simply too strange. It would be absolutely impossible if there wasn't a deeper reason behind it all.
However, there was one point Herta was not clear about—
In Herta's view, the throne of [The End] was one that other Aeons were capable of taking, but were unwilling to due to its duties. Ron, however, did not think so.
He was, perhaps, truly that "child of destiny."
As for why, the answer was actually quite simple—
Just as mentioned before, a person's hair could never murder the person themselves. All the life born from the Tree of Existence would likely never have the chance to replace the Tree of Existence itself and become the new [The End].
Terminus, the Finality, was clearly the incarnation of the Tree of Existence. His position was not one that just anyone could take…
But Ron was different.
In any case, he was a transmigrator from beyond this world, a unique existence that did not belong to this sea of stars. If a new finale truly needed to be forged, perhaps only an existence from outside the Tree of Existence could become the new finale.
And Ron was the chess piece moved by the Aeons, placed upon the board to replace Terminus.
Although Ron wasn't clear which "Aeons" this included, he was certain that [The Elation] Aha and [The Nihility] IX were among them.
After all… the guidance of [The Elation] Aha in his actions was too obvious, and the warning from [The Nihility] IX was too direct. It was impossible not to be suspicious.
But he had discovered all of this far too late… Only now did he realize he had been placed on this cosmic chessboard, a piece moved by the hands of Aeons.
So, he understood… For the him of now, there was no choice.
A myriad of thoughts flashed through his mind, and Ron's mood surprisingly began to calm down.
He looked at Herta before him with a complex expression and sighed:
"I am indeed afraid, Herta…"
"I'm really not as heartless as I said—I actually like this world very much."
"Belobog is cold, but the warm afternoon sun is still enough for a pleasant nap."
"The night markets on the Xianzhou [Luofu] are bustling, full of the lively air of the mortal world. Buying a cup of hot Fallow-Deer Milk and taking a stroll down the street is very relaxing."
He spoke, his words pausing for a moment, as if with a slight hesitation, but in the end, he gave up on concealing anything and spoke frankly:
"Did you know? Bronya is actually a very clumsy person. In order to become the next Supreme Guardian, she always acts serious, but secretly, she's always worried about whether she can do a good job. She wants everything, but can't hold onto anything, exuding a kind of clumsy innocence."
"That's what she's like as a leader… but as the real Bronya, she's a gentle girl. Every time I leave the Supreme Guardian's manor, she leaves me a letter with a small flower she drew by hand. It's very cute."
"I actually… really like her clumsy innocence."
He spoke like a scumbag, counting on his fingers, but his words were filled with pure emotion:
"Seele is a blockhead. She's actually very gentle at heart, but for Belobog's sake, she has to act cold as ice. Every time she makes a decision, she struggles with it for a long time…"
"Natasha is very gentle, but she has a strong will. She carries a gentle resolve to save Belobog and has never wavered in the slightest…"
"Cocolia is a pitiful person lost on the path of life. After she came to her senses, she thought of nothing but atonement. Although her methods were a bit clumsy, perhaps one day, her sins can be erased…"
"And you, Herta."
Ron looked at Herta and smiled gently:
"You are cold to everything, but within this icy puppet body, there's a warmth that has never been lost…"
"No matter how cold you are to this world, you are still willing to persuade me to turn back at a time like this. I like the gentleness beneath your cold mask."
"But… it is because of this that I cannot give up my current choice."
As Ron spoke, the smile at the corner of his mouth gradually faded, replaced by a resolve that was nearly unshakable—
"It is precisely because I like this world, like everyone, that I cannot give up on becoming the new [The End]."
"It is precisely because I love all of this that I cannot let this matter go unchecked."
"To turn this imperfect ending into the one we hope for…"
"...Someone has to make a sacrifice, right?"
Hearing Ron's words, Herta couldn't help but feel a sense of suffocation.
Even though she was a puppet who didn't need to breathe, at this moment, she felt an immense pressure that brought with it this feeling of asphyxiation.
This was the pressure brought by Ron's resolve.
Herta didn't want Ron to become the new finale for this sea of stars, to ascend the throne of [The End], and thus give up his own future. But she couldn't find the words to persuade him to give up this idea.
…Because she had no way.
She truly couldn't provide a better solution to Ron. If she persuaded Ron not to do this, then what?
The result… what would be the result?
There would be no result… Even though she was an Emanator of [Erudition], this was an answer that even Lord Nous himself could not calculate.
She… seemed to have no choice but to let Ron do this.
To watch with her own eyes as Ron… sacrificed himself.
A dim, gray light surfaced in Herta's eyes. She was a little unwilling to let this happen, but…
But her relationship with Ron was not yet that close.
Friends? Close friends? No matter what, their relationship was merely one of partnership. Ron wanted to do these things, and although Herta was far from willing to see Ron sacrifice his future, she also knew she had no reason to persuade him to give up.
She just didn't want to lose Ron… but that could never be a reason to persuade him.
Even… just persuading Ron would be trampling on his resolve.
After a long silence, Herta said no more.
Ron understood Herta's wish to persuade him, but it was clear she couldn't find any other reason…
Yes, even if it required Ron's sacrifice, so what?
The [The End] of this sea of stars would indeed be replaced by a new Aeon because of this. Ron would never sit by and watch this sea of stars head toward a fixed ending. Instead, he would write a new, everlasting chapter for it.
So… what needed to be done next was already very clear.
"Thank you for your understanding, Herta."
Ron said softly, his tone resolute:
"I will alter the finale and become the new [The End] for this sea of stars…"
"Even if it means betting my own future… I must erase the period at the end of this story for everyone."
As he spoke, his eyes held a trance-like quality:
"Let this sea of stars… have a true future."
---o---