【Repair Progress: 57,172/100,000】
The Kingdom of Skoll was a small nation situated near the coast, but its thriving commerce had generated considerable economic strength, and its technological advancement was quite remarkable.
It was a rare electrical powerhouse.
Most nations only achieved nationwide electrical coverage in economically developed cities. Skoll, however, had achieved complete nationwide electrification.
Its citizens' per capita income was among the highest in the world.
Such a nation was naturally extremely wealthy. Under its wise ruler, the people of Skoll were arguably among the happiest in the world.
However,
This was all in the past.
A year ago, the ambitious Crown Prince Bagna launched a coup, seizing the throne and plunging Skoll into chaos.
The army fractured, and the kingdom descended into civil war. A once-prosperous nation was now engulfed in conflict, its decades of development destroyed in an instant, its people suffering.
Skoll's Crown Prince, Bagna, was a brutal tyrant. His first act after seizing the throne was to use a religious cult to manipulate and control the populace.
Most of Skoll's citizens were atheistic materialists, largely immune to such tactics. Skoll had never had a religious authority surpass the monarchy in its history. Those who opposed him openly rebelled against the tyrannical ruler.
Bagna was unconcerned, continuing to forcibly spread his cult throughout the capital and using it to enforce his rule.
Such brutality naturally attracted the attention of the Tulip organization. Seeing the situation potentially deteriorate further, they dispatched personnel to stabilize the situation.
A Lieutenant General arrived in the Kingdom of Skoll with troops.
It was Arnold.
Ten years had passed, and he'd successfully risen from Major General to Lieutenant General, indicating he now possessed Tier 4 combat capabilities, the hard-and-fast requirement for a Lieutenant General.
Having just quelled unrest in a city, his subordinate officer presented Arnold with the latest intelligence: several dossiers.
"Dongli, Rénald, Isaac, Curitis…"
Arnold looked at the files, his head aching. These were all thugs and criminals recruited by Bagna to maintain his tyrannical rule.
Each one had a notorious reputation for heinous crimes.
These were clearly thugs, not royal guards.
A raging inferno consumed an entire building, billowing black smoke drifting on the wind—the handiwork of thugs taking advantage of the chaos.
As Arnold's troops passed the burning building, he noticed a figure in the flames and froze, stopping abruptly.
Turning around, he quickly approached Mei and saluted.
"Miss, it's been a long time!"
"Mm."
"Your purpose here, miss?"
"Just something that piqued my interest."
Having said that,
Mei glanced at the black crow circling overhead. Through the crow's eyes, she saw the gaze of a mature woman with long blue hair.
Hundreds of kilometers away, in the royal palace of Skoll's capital, a group of heinous criminals—Bagna's personal guards—were gathered.
While Skoll was engulfed in chaos and its people suffered, the palace revelled in feasts and debauchery.
The leaders were Dongli and Rénald, whom Arnold recognized, but two others stood out.
The first was a mature woman with long blue hair, wearing traditional Tatra clothing that gave her an exotic appearance. Her name was Asuna.
The other was an incredibly large and muscular man. Even though he tried to conceal his aura, the faint sense of oppression sent shivers down one's spine.
He looked less like a man and more like a wild beast in human skin.
His name was Griffith.
Asuna leaned calmly against the wall. A single statement silenced the boisterous feast: "The Tulip organization has sent a Lieutenant General to quell the unrest in the Kingdom of Skoll."
"..."
The brief silence was shattered.
The guards erupted once more.
"Hahaha!"
"Just a Lieutenant General? They underestimate our king! His Majesty Baghdad's power is unmatched. A single Lieutenant General poses no threat."
"Heh heh, let's deal with those lackeys."
"They need at least two or three Lieutenant Generals!"
"..."
Ignoring the commotion, Asuna's next statement instantly silenced the boisterous atmosphere, dropping the temperature to freezing.
"And a Grand Marshal."
"?!?"
"What?!"
"Pfft—"
Rénald, his face scarred, spat out a mouthful of wine, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Asuna, you… you just said what?"
Asuna coldly swept her gaze across the group, repeating herself.
"And a Grand Marshal."
"A… a… a Grand Marshal?!?"
Rénald, unable to maintain his composure, tumbled from the table, his tongue trembling as he confirmed he hadn't misheard. Cold sweat immediately broke out.
The others reacted similarly.
Panic ensued.
"What do we do? What do we do?!"
"That's a Grand Marshal! We can't win!"
"Should we run now?"
"Good idea!"
Bang!
Griffith's reaction differed from the others. Excitement flashed in his eyes as he slammed his wine cup onto the table.
He asked Asuna in a low voice, "Is it her?"
"Yes."
Asuna nodded. "According to historical records, she once left traces in the Kingdom of Skoll. I've just confirmed it's her."
"Then that's excellent!"
Griffith was already fired up.
"Don't panic!!!"
Isaac, the calmest among them, shouted, forcibly controlling the situation. "Listen to me! Do you really think the Tulip organization would send a Grand Marshal to deal with us?"
The group exchanged glances.
Isaac seized the opportunity to calm them down. "Obviously not. A few Lieutenant Generals would be sufficient. Sending a Grand Marshal is overkill. Besides, Asuna, have you ever met this Grand Marshal? Can you confirm it's a Grand Marshal?"
"I know it's her."
Asuna shattered Isaac's illusions, word by word. "Black hair, black eyes, blue coat… a traveler dressed as a woman…"
As Asuna described her, a strikingly detailed image formed in their minds; Isaac could almost see her.
Wrong!
She wasn't merely in their minds; she was right in front of them!
A woman dressed as a traveler had appeared in the midst of the banquet hall. Even without saying a word, her powerful presence felt like the center of the universe.
Mei offered a gentle smile.
"Excuse me, everyone."
"R… really?!"
Rénald, the scarred thug, was now a trembling wreck. His face pale, he stumbled back, staring at the figure who had suddenly appeared.
A sliver of hope remained: that Asuna's information was wrong.
The men trembled uncontrollably, barely daring to breathe, fearing they'd attract Mei's attention. No one expected a genuine Grand Marshal to appear before them so unexpectedly.
The horror was indescribable.
In the near-silent atmosphere, Isaac swallowed, forcing a pale smile, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"Miss, who are you?"
"..."
Mei didn't answer, her gaze falling on Asuna. Through the ālaya-Vij?āna, Mei effortlessly accessed Asuna's memories.
Suddenly,
She became even more interested in Asuna.
"You're from the future…"
Bang!
A gunshot cut Mei off. When tension exceeds a certain limit, nerves snap, triggering instinctive self-defense.
Eliminate the source of danger!
The thugs, believing Mei was sent by the Tulip organization to eliminate them and quell the Skoll rebellion, were terrified and ready to fight to the death.
Carelessly.
A shot rang out.
This triggered a chain reaction. After the gunshot, the thugs attacked ferociously, causing Isaac to roar in fury.
"Fools!!!"
In an instant,
Time fragmented infinitely. The Brownian motion of dust particles in the air approached a complete standstill; their displacement didn't even reach a nanometer.
Under this level of time manipulation, causal force descended silently. Space seemed to stretch infinitely, followed by void energy surging like a raging storm.
The bullets, and everyone, could never reach Mei. The past became the future. Dongli, Rénald, Isaac, Curitis, those with names and those without—all were swept away in an instant by the overwhelming power.
Like a raging tempest.
Everyone who attacked Mei suffered the same fate: instantly reduced to a bloody mess. The residual force continued to wreak havoc, sending those caught in the crossfire flying.
Boom!
"Pfft—"
Isaac and the others spat blood, falling to the ground without any resistance, utterly terrified by the power.
In the face of this force,
They didn't even see how the attack was launched before half of them were dead. Those who survived weren't strong enough; they were simply too frightened.
Rénald, his mouth bleeding, his eyes dilated in terror.
What just happened?!
Mei glanced at them. "I have no interest in wasting time on you."
That's great!
Hearing this,
Despite their grievous injuries, Isaac and the others scrambled to escape, wishing they had four legs to run faster, disappearing without a trace.
"Holy crap! That was definitely a Grand Marshal!!!"
"Shut up!"
"Run!"
Those in the lead ran; those behind chased their souls.
This was the most terrifying experience of their lives.
In an instant, only three people remained in the banquet hall: Asuna, expressionless; Griffith, seemingly unfazed, drinking large gulps of wine.
After reading their memories, Mei understood everything. It was unbelievable: Asuna and Griffith were both from the future.
They were from twenty years after this time.
Their trip back was to give Mei several items. In response to Mei's earlier question, Asuna nodded. "Yes, do you remember me?"
At this point,
Asuna smiled, finding it incredibly miraculous. "Thirty years ago—ten years ago for you—we met once."
Mei remembered.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
"I was fishing; you were stealing things."
The memory brought a long-absent smile to Asuna's face. After a brief exchange, she got to the point, three glowing orbs appearing on her palm and floating towards Mei.
"Here, these three items are for you."
Hum—
The Book of Truth reacted, appearing before them. The three orbs didn't merge with it, but the repair progress began to increase rapidly; these were clearly three fragments of truth.
【Repair Progress: 90,172/100,000】
In one go,
The repair progress jumped directly to 90,000, nearing completion. This meant Mei had completed four upgrade tasks in one fell swoop.
Four random rewards!
She anticipated them with interest.
Then,
The Book of Truth emitted threads of profound, mystical energy, forming four item-like objects before Mei. She initially assumed they were ordinary items.
Then the interface prompt appeared.
【Upgrade Task 6 Completed】
【Receiving one random reward】
【Item Acquired: True · Death Substitute】
…
【Upgrade Task 7 Completed】
【Receiving one random reward】
【Item Acquired: True · Source Annihilation】
…
【Upgrade Task 8 Completed】
【Receiving one random reward】
【Item Acquired: True · Source Annihilation】
…
【Upgrade Task 9 Completed】
【Receiving one random reward】
【Item Acquired: True · Source Annihilation】
…
Four nearly identical voodoo dolls, each only about the size of a hand: one 【True · Death Substitute】, and three 【True · Source Annihilation】 dolls.
——
【Item: True · Source Annihilation】
【Type: Item · One-Time Use】
【Description: Write a target's name on the voodoo doll to inflict ultimate source annihilation. Bypasses all defenses, regeneration, and death substitution effects. Inflicts true death; it cannot be resisted by anything below Tier 8.】
——
【Item: True · Death Substitute】
【Type: Item · One-Time Use】
【Description: When the wielder faces true death, this item automatically activates, providing specialized countermeasures against source annihilation. It cannot be suppressed by anything below Tier 8.】
——
The two items perfectly countered each other, possessing incredibly powerful effects. With 【True · Source Annihilation】, Mei could eliminate even Tier 8 beings.
How powerful!
These items far exceeded Mei's expectations. Even the incredibly tenacious life force of a Primordial Daemon couldn't resist being erased at the conceptual source level.
Once erased from the conceptual source, true death occurred. If such a thing happened, 【True · Death Substitute】 would allow Mei to escape death.
Absolutely incredible!
Undoubtedly,
Mei didn't need an appraisal to know these four items were Tier 8 level. Her understanding of the Book of Truth's power was completely renewed.
At 90% completion, it could eliminate Tier 8 beings. One could only imagine how much stronger the Book of Truth would be upon full repair.
Unimaginably powerful!
At least, it was power far beyond Mei's current comprehension; perhaps she would only understand it upon reaching Tier 8.
Who had sent Asuna and Griffith back through time to give Mei those three fragments of truth? Mei couldn't find the answer in their memories.
The possibilities were few: either Asuna and Griffith acted on their own initiative (highly improbable; they had no reason to do so), or someone else was involved.
Supreme master?
Unlikely.
To prevent Mei from repairing the Book of Truth, they were willing to destroy the world. If they had obtained fragments of truth, they would have hidden them.
Even the causal force constraint must have an underlying cause. Since Asuna and Griffith had acted as they did, there must be a reason.
The more she thought,
The more Mei considered the possibility that the Book of Truth itself had orchestrated it. Perhaps the entity that most desired the repair of the Book of Truth had acted in its own interest.
But was it necessary to rush? Twenty years was a blink of an eye to Mei; was a time-travel arrangement truly necessary?
That was the question.
Perhaps there was a compelling reason. Mei again considered the Supreme master. What could happen in twenty years that necessitated such an arrangement of the truth?
Thoughts raced through her mind.
With Asuna's matter concluded, Griffith finally set down his wine bottle, his fighting spirit unconcealed. "Consider this our thank-you gift. How about a fight?"
A wild aura emanated.
The oppressive feeling was intense.
Griffith, one of the three Grand Marshals of the Tulip organization contemporary to Mei, was regrettably unable to engage Mei in combat.
To remedy this, he and Asuna traveled back in time. For Griffith, combat and power were everything.
Mei granted his wish.
"Agreed."
The three fragments of truth were a significant gift; this small request was nothing. Griffith didn't even choose a location, preparing to fight right there.
Crack!
Excited, he grinned, his bones cracking as he moved, his eyes like a predator's, sharp and focused on his prey. He introduced himself, "Griffith, one of the three Grand Marshals parallel to you. While I'm a few years older, don't expect any mercy."
Mei nodded.
"I'll give it my all."
Boom!
A tremendous, explosive burst of Willpower erupted, causing the entire palace to tremble violently. Griffith laughed. "Hahaha, quite the confident words!"
However,
Before the two could engage, an uninvited guest arrived. A resounding boom echoed, and an intensely dark aura surged like a tide. Bagna blasted a tunnel straight into the royal palace, appearing before them, his face furious.
"To dare act so brazenly in my palace! Your crimes are unforgivable…"
"Get lost! I have no time for you!"
Griffith, poised to unleash his power, was uninterested in fighting after waiting decades for this battle. He had no time for a petty thug like Bagna.
Without even glancing at Bagna, Griffith casually swiped his hand, unleashing incredibly powerful Willpower that tore half the palace apart in an instant.
The powerful air pressure formed a violent vortex, instantly reducing half the palace to rubble. Bagna vanished without a trace, his fate unknown.
The power he'd gained from collecting the cult's faith was no match for a true powerhouse. Even though he and Griffith were both Tier 4,
The difference between Tier 4 and Tier 4 was far greater than he'd imagined.
Griffith possessed not only incredible physical strength and Willpower but, as a Grand Marshal, also extremely powerful Ideal, manifested as his own Willpower Vessel.
An exceptionally rare state of Willpower Vessel.
By merging his Willpower Vessel with his own Willpower, he achieved power exceeding the norm. He was confident he could destroy anything with this power.
In a flash, Griffith's aura reached its peak, like a bolt of lightning. He unleashed a punch containing enough force to shatter the sky and earth.
Boom!
Rumble!
The residual force swept across the remaining half of the palace, utterly destroying it and causing the entire capital's ground to sink, blasting a ring-shaped white void in the sky.
The scene was incredibly spectacular.
This was the power of a Grand Marshal. Even the Legion Commanders of the Raitei Legion and the Nova Legion would stand no chance against Griffith.
This was a super-powerful individual who specialized in fighting ancient behemoths.
Incredibly strong.
But not enough.
To this,
Mei simply raised a finger, effortlessly stopping the punch that could shatter the sky and earth. A Conceptual Counter-Creation wave washed over Griffith.
Bang!
Griffith's Ideal collapsed and dissipated, unable to exert any force. He maintained his punching motion, straining with all his might to move his fist even a millimeter forward.
But Mei remained unmoved, her finger perfectly still, unaffected even as Griffith strained until his face turned red and his veins bulged.
After a moment,
"Whew—"
Griffith gave up. There was no point in continuing. He retracted his fist, feeling disbelief. He hadn't expected such a disparity. He hadn't possessed any power to resist.
This was incredibly disheartening.
"Others call me a monster among monsters. In my eyes, you are the true monster. Hahaha, I lose."
Griffith sighed.
Then calmly admitted defeat.
"You flatter me."
Mei wasn't stingy, gifting Asuna and Griffith several powerful pieces of equipment she hadn't been able to use in Liberty City, then bidding farewell.
"Until we meet again."
Asuna watched Mei's back, murmuring softly.
"We probably won't meet again."
Among all Grand Marshals throughout history, Mei was undoubtedly the most mysterious. In terms of strength, there might not even be anyone who could compare to her.
"Let's go."
A satisfied Griffith and Asuna embarked on their journey back through time. Their brief encounter had unknowingly altered this world's future.
They didn't realize the significance of their actions, but Mei vaguely sensed it. It sent a message: the truth must be fully repaired within the next twenty years; otherwise, Asuna and Griffith's journey would be pointless.
"Before repairing the truth, I need to eliminate someone."
Considering he was the greatest obstacle to the repair of the truth, Mei had to proceed cautiously. Using a 【True · Source Annihilation】 doll was a shame.
But Mei had to do it.
Along the way,
Mei took out a 【True · Source Annihilation】 voodoo doll, wrote the Supreme master's name on it, and then burned it to ashes.
Mei had originally planned to settle accounts with the Supreme master after reaching Tier 8. Now that she possessed the ability, there was no need to wait.
The longer she waited, the greater the chance of unforeseen variables.
Even the slightest possibility was a risk Mei couldn't afford.
As the voodoo doll burned to ashes, carried away by a gentle breeze, a power from a higher, more profound plane descended.
Transcending infinite distances, it instantly locked onto the Supreme master in the void. Without warning, the Supreme master was pulled into the Willpower world.
"What's happening?!"
Terror and fear flashed across the being's face.
Hum—
The Book of Truth appeared. The carved Tree of Life rapidly expanded, transforming into a massive, ancient grey-white stone door. The door suddenly opened, extending numerous inky black arms.
The Book of Truth?
No.
This was the primordial form of the truth in ancient times.
The Door of Truth!
A figure was pulled from beyond this world. The inky black arms from the Door of Truth seized the Supreme master.
"The Door of Truth!!!"
Seeing this, the Supreme master's primal, deeply ingrained fear surged forth. He was no longer a supreme being.
Just a helpless, ordinary person struggling against fate.
"No!!"
"I don't want to go back!"
"Save me!"
"Save me!!!"
The inky black arms restrained the Supreme master. Despite his desperate struggles, it was futile. Tears streamed down his face as he wailed hoarsely.
"I don't want to go back!!"
"Please, save me!!!"
Rip—
The inky black arms tore away the Supreme master's disguise, revealing its true form: a white orb of light, with only a crescent-shaped mouth visible on its surface.
The fabricated truth was mercilessly ripped apart. The white orb of light wailed tragically, ultimately dragged into the Door of Truth by the inky black arms.
"..."
Silence descended.
A being potentially capable of reaching Tier 8 was devoured by the truth like a stray dog. The scene was shocking; even Mei felt a complex mix of emotions.
The interface prompt updated.
【Repair Progress: 92,172/100,000】
The white orb of light, stripped of its consciousness and source, returned to becoming a part of the truth, further increasing Mei's repair progress.
At this point,
Mei had an epiphany.
This being was originally a part of the truth itself. No wonder he understood the truth so well, even able to manifest a fraction of the truth's power using Ideal.
The Door of Truth reverted to its stone form, the Book of Truth, disappearing into the void. One thing Mei hadn't expected was that after eliminating the Supreme master,
Nothing dropped.
"What a pity."
A butterfly fluttered past. Shiro peeked out from the grass, seizing the opportunity to swallow the butterfly as it landed on a flower.
Three—
A small flower sprouted from Shiro's head.
In an instant,
Twenty years passed.
Perhaps drifting too far in the void, Mei didn't recover any fragments of truth during these twenty years, only making incremental progress each day.
【Repair Progress: 98,500/100,000】
After a few more years, even without recovering any more fragments, Mei could completely repair the truth through the normal causal force constraint.
Twenty years wasn't enough to change the world drastically, but it was long enough for people to change. During this time, Sullivan rose like a comet, then vanished.
Saches, after years of training, became the branch president of the Platinum City Adventurer's Guild, establishing himself in the world of the strong.
As for Blaise…
This man had done too much evil, creating a deadly feud with the Raitei Legion and the Nova Legion. He was hunted throughout the world by members of these two powerful legions—a thrilling situation.
Euc Kingdom.
A dark alley reeked of nauseating stench. Mold and moss made the ground slick, with dirty water constantly dripping from the walls and eaves.
A blood-soaked figure leaned against the wall.
Blaise.
His appearance was horrific; his body was covered in wounds, and the blood wouldn't stop flowing. He was near death.
"Whew—"
The loss of blood made him feel his body temperature dropping. He wiped the blood from his wounds, his smile as twisted and deranged as ever.
"This is the taste of death, huh."
He felt no regret.
Some people were born to dance on the edge of a knife, finding their purpose and fulfillment in death and carnage.
Blaise was one such person. His perception of life was far stronger than that of ordinary individuals. He had foreseen his untimely death, and now, he calmly accepted his fate.
Footsteps approached.
Seeing the person's face, Blaise wasn't surprised.
"So, you came to save me?"
Mei responded.
"Do I look like someone who would do such a tedious thing?"
"Ha ha."
Blaise managed a weak laugh, feeling no disappointment. His eyes grew dimmer, his voice weaker. "Dying like a rat in a sewer... quite fitting for me…"
With his last words,
He glanced at Mei, a lingering sense of unwillingness in his heart. He'd once harbored great ambitions, hoping to reach the pinnacle of this world.
To become a true powerhouse.
Only later did he realize how cruel this world was, how distant that goal—so distant that he lost his belief and strength to pursue it.
"..."
Chirp chirp.
A rat scurried past Blaise. He stared blankly at the rat, then slowly closed his eyes, ending his journey.
On the street outside, a newspaper boy ran past.
"Big news! Big news! The Kingdom of Skoll has officially declared bankruptcy! The great merchant Vivian has announced her intention to assume all its debts and buy the entire Kingdom of Skoll!"
Sea Town.
Thirty years had passed. Sullivan, once a strapping young man, was now a slightly weathered middle-aged man, with a thick, grizzled beard and greyed temples.
Beside him was his wife.
The life of an adventurer was exciting, but life was unpredictable. At the peak of his career, he'd met the love of his life, prompting him to retire.
In the market,
Sullivan listened to his wife haggling, when a familiar figure caught his eye. He was startled and turned to look.
A traveler dressed as a man was walking away. Just as he was about to chase after him, a voice called out.
"Dad, let's go!"
A girl with a ponytail, carrying a basket, followed her mother, calling out to the stunned Sullivan. Sullivan glanced once more at the retreating figure.
Finally, he caught up with his wife.
"Ah!"
...
In recent years, Mei often traveled through Platinum City. Platinum City had thriving transport links; she frequently passed through it to transfer.
Each time, she patronized a particular tavern. It was a bustling, lively place, where she could observe many interesting people and events.
It was a small habit of hers.
"Madam, you're back!"
The old bartender recognized Mei and poured her a beer. "Platinum City's newest brew, very popular these days. My treat."
"Thank you."
Mei took a sip; the taste was indeed excellent. She ordered another for Shiro, who gulped it down like water.
No discernible taste.
The bartender, attending to other customers, observed Mei closely. "Madam, thirty years have passed, and you haven't aged a day!"
Mei smiled.
"You, on the other hand, have aged quite a bit."
"That's true."
The bartender sighed. "In a flash, I've been here for decades. When I opened this tavern, I never imagined it would be decades. Half my life has been spent here."
Mei continued the casual conversation.
"Don't you want to venture out? The world outside is far more exciting than you think."
The bartender shook his head.
"Forget it. Someone like me, an ordinary person, has neither talent nor luck. To live a long, peaceful life is already a blessing."
"That's true."
The strong and the lucky were a tiny minority; most people were unremarkable individuals. Furthermore, not everyone aspired to such a life.
Ordinary people had their own lives and ways.
"I want to!"
At that moment,
A rather drunk young man rudely interrupted Mei and the bartender's conversation. He declared, "I don't want to be an insignificant nobody my whole life, born without a name, dying unheard. Life like that is too boring. Next year, next year I'll take the adventurer's examination!"
"I wish you success in passing the examination and fulfilling your dream of becoming a professional adventurer."
The bartender responded blandly.
"Naturally!"
Emboldened by alcohol, the young man's hand itched. He excitedly clapped Mei on the shoulder. "Hey, wanna make a bet?"
"Okay."
Mei readily agreed. "What's the bet?"
Bang!
The young man pulled a wad of Nak from his pocket and slammed it on the bar counter. "10,000 Nak! If I pass the adventurer's examination next year, you owe me 10,000 Nak. If I lose, the 10,000 Nak is yours."
"No problem. I'll be waiting."
With that,
Mei quickly produced 10,000 Nak, handing the money to the bartender. "Bartender, act as the witness, please."
"Of course, no problem."
Having been a regular for decades, the bartender readily agreed to the request, taking the money into safekeeping.
"Haha, just you wait, you're going to lose."
The young man stumbled to his feet, unsure if he'd even remember this when he sobered up. The bartender quickly called out to him.
"What's your name?"
The young man cleared his throat and declared loudly, "I'm Locken! Remember that name! My name will soon echo throughout the world!"
Immediately,
The tavern erupted in laughter.
"Hahahaha!"
"Another daydreamer!"
The bartender wasn't impressed with Locken and agreed with Mei's assessment. "Madam, you also think this kid is daydreaming?"
"No."
To the bartender's surprise, Mei's reply was the opposite.
"He has potential."
"Then why did you make a bet with him?"
"Winning or losing isn't important to me. It's simply interesting. This bet increases my sense of participation."
Finishing her beer, Mei stood up to leave.
"Safe travels, Madam!"
Unless necessary, Mei rarely fought and showed little interest in engaging in combat, preferring to remain a simple traveler.
She silently enjoyed the beauty and wonder of this world.
Perhaps Asuna's actions from the future had altered the course of events. Twenty years ago, Mei had cautiously chosen to eliminate the Supreme master.
Twenty years passed.
No unforeseen events occurred in this world. Perhaps some possibilities were erased with the Supreme master's death.
No one could know for sure.
Mei couldn't yet perceive all the possibilities of this world from a higher plane; she couldn't trace or foresee the past and future along the river of time.
Under the power of a higher plane, she was still just an insignificant individual. Only when she transcended the river of time and held all possibilities in her hand…
Would she truly possess power.
Three days after leaving the tavern, the final fragment of truth appeared in Mei's hands via the normal causal force constraint—an ordinary stone found by the roadside.
Mei picked up the stone.
Then crushed it.
A wisp of the truth's essence appeared, then merged into the Book of Truth. The repair progress rapidly increased to one hundred percent.
【Repair Progress: 100,000/100,000】
This was indeed the last fragment of truth.
A feeling of serene accomplishment washed over her.
【Upgrade Task 10 Completed】
【Receiving one random reward】
【Obtained: Opportunity to glimpse the truth】
...
Boom!
Before Mei could react, boundless truth enveloped her consciousness, feeling both eternal and instantaneous.
An endless torrent of truth washed over Mei's consciousness. Some she understood; some, no matter how hard she tried, remained incomprehensible.
Vaguely,
Mei witnessed this world's repeated cycles of destruction and rebirth, the shattering and subsequent repair of the truth. Within this cycle, a figure suddenly appeared.
The Supreme master!
He escaped from the Door of Truth during the shattering of the truth, orchestrating a world-ending event to further fragment the truth.
A vast, boundless river of time flowed past, encompassing present and future. Observing it, Mei witnessed countless possibilities for this world.
After an unknown period,
Mei opened her eyes, a deep, mysterious gleam in them. A moment ago, she had seemed to know everything; however, with the withdrawal of the truth, that feeling was gone.
Still, she had gained something from this glimpse into the truth. The lingering understanding was enough to enhance her power slightly.
Moreover,
She had also clarified the truth behind this world's destruction and the identity of the mastermind behind it.
