Chapter 2019: Chapter 25: The Prophet Who Walks Toward the Future, the Sage Who Changes Everything

[Is it simply the rearing of cute little lambs? Is it raised for morality? Is it to ease one’s mind, or to build a colossal cosmic tombstone, thus piled with all the sparks and remnants of civilization here?]

Arms and legs, limbs have begun to turn into pure white ashes and disappear with the fiery flame, yet the Ashen King raises his head, eyes incredibly bright, as if looking at the sky with a blaze: [Of course not — Heavenly Father is hope, hoping that we, the ’children in the cradle,’ can grow to a point where we can catch up with them!]

[Then, once we catch up with them, we can leave the cradle and fight against the end with them!]

Looking down, the Ashen King stares at Ian, his gaze intense and burning: [He hopes we will fight]

[Or rather, I hope they hope we’ll fight]

[In this way, everything has meaning]

Ian and the already ’dying’ Ashen King exchange looks, at this moment, a man who has always felt uninterested in his life, in the meaning of his own existence, yet insists on living on, awaiting the ’arrival of meaning,’ has ultimately found the purpose of his life.

— Yes, yes, I have proven myself, I can burn, burn to the world’s end, burn to the end of all things between heaven and earth.

— I can endure reincarnation, endure all the misfortunes of life and the losses of death.

— And finally, I found... I found in this life, the meaning of life that I can accept!

If the Ashen Pathway’s Ashen King finally attained all truths,

Then the [present] Ashen King already knows that his meaning in this pathway of possibility is to reveal all to Ian Silverpeak!

A seer capable of reshaping the world and choosing different futures... needs his fight, his existence, to prepare for overcoming terrifying opponents and finding a better future!

Facing this conclusion with no regret whatsoever, calmly acknowledging his defeat.

A man whose life and battles have been thoroughly satisfying expresses his view to Ian: [Though Heavenly Father is benevolent, the war has reached this point, it no longer allows Heavenly Father to remain so — They need more power to defeat stronger enemies]

[The stagnant end and the accelerated cradle... during the time when the end stagnated due to the disappearance of Aether, the civilizations within the cradle can accelerate, fostering more of the Heavenly Father’s kind to counterattack]

[We are their descendants, or rather, only you, only someone like Ian Silverpeak can become the new Star God, becoming ’assistance’ stepping out of the cradle to help the Star God!]

[This is the true intention of the cradle — the spark of a thousand stars, the existence of the perpetual motion machine, it turns out, is for this. To allow all civilizations to learn from each other, integrate with one another, join forces to create an even larger home, allowing the best among all civilizations to become new Heavenly Fathers and Creators, hence Heavenly Father constructed the cradle]

"What you say is indeed true."

Ian nods slightly, he pulls out the spiral sword, while the Ashen King wobbles slightly but stabilizes his posture: [It was only until now I understood why you are so powerful, your true aim...]

Even the old man whose body has started to shatter smiles: [From the start, your sight was never on us, not on Terra... but above the Sky]

[Therefore, we prisoners of the earth, none could surpass you, none could understand you]

"There are still some."

Lowering his head slightly, Ian smiles and also speaks seriously: "Don’t you know that already?"

[If only I had known earlier, but it’s not bad like this now]

As ash and flames continuously scatter, two clusters of flames emerge from the Ashen King’s body, one pure white, the other crimson red, these are the two different Top Seat’s Bloodlines granting succession: [This is my legacy, it is your trophy. With these two Top Seat’s Bloodlines, the Abassalom lineage, the Lower Flame Domain will certainly heed your command]

[But don’t concern yourself with that group of wastrels, each dazed and confused, possessing power yet lacking dreams and goals. After defeating me, there’s no need for you to treat them favorably; they are just a group of ingrates, they will kneel to lick your shoes] 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"I understand."

Ian gazes at the Ashen King, the opponent’s body has already scattered, having lost the support of the Top Seat’s Blood, only a vague head remains: "Do you have any wishes?"

[I am already content] The Ashen King smiles, but after pondering for a moment, as if thinking of something amusing, he laughs: [Especially seeing in other possibilities, you are my adopted son, it is indeed interesting to think so]

[How does it feel, Silverpeak Seer?] he teases: [How does it feel to be my adopted son in some possibility?]

The near-death Ashen King no longer cares for anything, he isn’t provoking, just expressing whatever crosses his mind.

But then, he hears Ian respond earnestly: "It feels great. As an adoptive father, you are indeed qualified, I am glad you could fulfill your dreams."

"In this world, you and I have no relation, still enemies, but that doesn’t mean I would deny other parallel worlds."

"Because..."

In Ian’s eyes, an incomparably clear, watery brilliance flows as if endless space-time transformed into mirrored glass, refracting repeatedly in those eyes.

He said softly: "All Ians, no matter the space-time, the possibility, the thought, the end."

"Are all me."

"All are parts of [Ian]."

"Our failures, again and again, time and time, repeatedly, accumulating countless times, formed the current, nearly successful me"

"And during this process, indeed, you all aided me, being my teacher, adoptive father, benefactor, instructor, and protector."

"I would not deny any of this."

"Just like [now], I won’t care for all this, and with gratitude in my heart... kill you here without mercy."

The Ashen King widened his eyes, listening silently to Ian’s words.

Although not expressed explicitly, he understood Ian’s true intent... he did not perceive himself as joking. Ian indeed acknowledged everything in that ’prophecy’ as real and recognized all, even he himself thought to be quite absurd ’adoptive father,’ as part of his interpersonal relationships.

But, Ian Silverpeak acknowledges all of this, yet he will not stop his steps.

Even knowing, acknowledging, he would still strike, taking life.

[You truly are...] before completely dissipating, the Ashen King instead laughed freely and joyfully: [You truly are a monster without tenderness yet filled with love]

[Ian Silverpeak, perhaps it’s only someone like you who can have such an unimaginable seer’s ability, foreseeing the future’s infinite possibilities]

[Only, you can choose to forget]

At the very last moment, as the final ash vanished, he spoke in a weak voice: [Not necessary to remember everything, remember all the possibilities you foresaw... those may be events of the past or futures not yet come... you don’t have to remember it all, turning into a burden]

[Because you are the one who must walk toward the future]

"No."

Putting down the sword, walking forward slowly, Ian extends his hands, retrieving two clusters of flames from the dispersing ashes: "I will remember it all, regardless of past or future, success or failure, not forgetting a thing."

"Because I am a seer on the path to the future, a sage to change everything."

"I will remember everything, bear everything, and then step onto the path leading to the furthest end."

The morning dawn had just risen from the east, illuminating the Tranquil Sea and the Abassalom Mountains, while the crimson glow that had shone over the Fiery Flame Land for several days was gradually dimming.

Terra Year 778, October 15th, dawn.

One of the dual kings of Fiery Flame Land, the [Undying Hellfire] Ashen King, Daltis Abassalom, is defeated at the hands of the Silverpeak Seer, Ian Silverpeak.

Returned to ash.