Two Pillar Gods of the Path of Metamorphosis

No wonder Professor Moriarty resonated so strongly with the concepts of "dedication" and "adaptation".

Professor Moriarty, who is now somewhat obsessed, is like a player who has "made up his mind to roll back or even restart"... Although he has not yet obtained the ability to roll back, he already considers it to be his for the taking.

So how can we make good use of this rollback? Naturally, it's used to test things we would never do during a normal game.

This is precisely a form of "waste utilization".

Because "this file" no longer holds any meaning for him...

No, and not just this file.

If he doesn't find the answer after the first cycle of reincarnation, he will inevitably continue to reincarnate. What he seeks is neither truth nor perfection, but merely the possibility of "continuation".

"That's why I've been so patient with you, Iver. I've been completely open and honest with you..."

The bird uttered a comforting and magnetic voice, as if extending its arms to Iver: "Because perhaps only you can accompany me back to the past."

"I did not take away your qualities, nor did I open that door. I do not know what will happen—whether I will gain your abilities or receive your help... whether I will go back on my own, or we will go back together, or whether I must bring your soul back with me. I do not know any of these things."

"We could potentially become partners, or you could call us comrades-in-arms. Wandering through time, searching for the light of salvation. Doesn't that sound romantic?"

"...really."

Iver was silent for a moment, then said decisively, "But—I refuse."

"It's okay, you'll crave it eventually."

Professor Moriarty smiled slightly, "I really didn't expect that Yulia could be saved by you... but that's precisely why I'm certain that you will be an unexpected variable."

"For something destined to end, uncertainty is far more important and precious. I will never lay a hand on you; on the contrary... I will protect you in secret. My precious Little Key..."

"—You mean, Yulia?"

Iver's expression changed instantly. "Are you threatening me?"

"Yes."

The bird said lightly, "Premature death only leaves behind fragmented memories. The most beautiful and unforgettable time in a person's life is their youth."

"You two grew up together since childhood, relying on each other for survival. You took care of Yulia from when she was still an infant until she was fourteen or fifteen. At that age, the Phantom Demon Egg should have already hatched."

"By now you should understand that a potion that can suppress the activity of the Phantom Demon Egg cannot be prescribed by a mortal pharmacist. That is the magic potion I obtained from Star Antimony, which can paralyze Phantoms and slow their growth... In order to obtain a sustainable supply of the potion, I also have to help Lloyd's establish a stable Smuggling Route. Of course, this is not really a big problem."

"The only clergyman Yulia has ever come into contact with is your divine magic mentor Bishop Mathers. He is also a member of the Golden Dawn and can keep secrets. Only a clergyman of his caliber can alleviate the chronic damage caused by the potion to the body."

"Didn't you notice? Perhaps because you solved the problem so smoothly, you naturally forgot about it—even though Yulia's illness was cured by the miraculous ritual you performed. But before that, the supply of the medicine had actually been discontinued."

"When exactly did it end?"—"It was when you disrupted that smuggling route. To be precise, it was after you caused the Pelican Bar to be shut down. Since then, Yulia hasn't taken her medication anymore, and the butterfly within her should be starting to awaken."

Moriarty chuckled and said, "Think about it carefully. My departure was abrupt, a 'sudden death.' Oswald quickly followed me, so the drug supply certainly didn't stop with us. But have you received a continuous supply of drugs since Yulia recovered? No, right?"

Upon hearing this, Iver broke out in a cold sweat.

If it weren't for the fact that he extracted the Little Butterfly half a month earlier than expected...

"... Is this the 'regret' you specially prepared for me?"

"According to the normal Timeline," Moriarty said casually, preening his feathers, "There should be three months."

In the game, Yulia Self-Destruct approximately three months after the "Pelican Bar" instance.

"The consciousness of the Phantom Demon Egg will be absorbed by the Phantom itself, and after the Phantom dies, it will return to the Dream Realm, and after it dies completely, it will be reborn from the Material Realm. In other words, Yulia can never be resurrected under any circumstances."

It's not a deletion.

It is a rewrite.

Moriarty said, "When you realize that the root of all this... is your obsession with transcendence and your destruction of the Pelican Bar, will you regret it?" "I think so. You're such a good kid who values family so much."

"The only thing I miscalculated was that you revived Yulia using an unknown technique. But that also encourages me—because you are a 'variable' in yourself."

... Wait a minute? —An unknown technique? Iver was taken aback.

He suddenly felt enlightened.

If Moriarty returned in 2000, then he must have experienced the promotion within the Ring Angel. He even knew that "Transcendence" had been changed to "Transformation"... so there's no reason he wouldn't know about the two career advancements: Great Sin Scholar and Great Beast Master.

To him, the Phantom Demon Card should be an ancient technique invented a hundred years ago.

This illustrates one thing.

The future Moriarty knew was not entirely the same as the future Iver knew! "... Hmph."

Iver suddenly laughed.

The sense of urgency from Moriarty's threat actually began to ease again.

He looked at Moriarty, his composure returning. "Let me ask you one last question, Father. After this, we shall part ways."

"Good."

Moriarty readily replied, "I'm curious what you'll ask me."

"Since you say... the Ring Angel will eventually kill the Serpent Father and ascend to become Pillar God, in charge of the 'Transformation' path, then what profession will He establish?"

"What, trying to seize the initiative?"

The bird laughed and said, "Then you've come to the right person. In my Previous Life, I was an extraordinary being who transcended the path of transformation."

"When the Ring Angel was the Angel of Reincarnation, he created the alchemy system. He was the first alchemist, and it is said that his original name was Hermes... which sounds very similar to the surname of that great detective."

"The ' Ouroboros ' itself signifies infinite cycles and self-regeneration. One thing can transform into another because, at a deeper level, they are actually the same thing—like ice melting into water and water evaporating into mist."

"Therefore, from a grander perspective, everything in the world is one. There must exist a smallest, unchanging thing; and there must also exist a largest, all-encompassing thing."

"And these two things together form the ' Ouroboros.' It allows itself to generate itself, thus remaining eternally unchanged yet constantly changing. This is the way of 'transformation.'"

"After the Ring Angel ascended to become the Pillar God ' Endless Knot ' of the 'Transformation' path, the alchemists who had once Equilibrium Path fell into the path of transformation. The demons that had previously Path of Transcendence disintegrated and regenerated, their power merging with the Fairy Kingdom and transforming into the six Elemental Spirits. The elemental powers of the six attributes cycled back and forth, changing and regenerating endlessly..."

"—Therefore, the new profession is called [Elementalist]. And its two advanced professions at the Fourth Level are called [Element Tutor] and [Element Shaman]. In the future that I know of, there was even an Elementalist who advanced to the Sixth Level and was revered as the ' Element Emperor '."

...Oh.

Iver's lips curled up slightly.

Just as I expected.

The words of the Lord of Scales and Feathers flashed through his mind. "—That is the ' Ouroboros Ring,' the Lord of the Path of Metamorphosis. 'Transformation' represents the eternal constant of change in all things... What goes up will eventually go down, and what goes down will eventually go up; all things change and flow, and nothing is truly unchanging."

The understanding of the Tao—that "what goes up will eventually go down, and what goes down will eventually go up; all things change and turn, and all things are subject to change"—and "infinite cycles, self-regeneration, eternal immutability and perpetual change"—while somewhat similar, is undoubtedly different in essence.

"I have no more questions, Father."

Iver gracefully and reservedly placed his hand on his chest in a gesture of respect. "I will diligently study alchemy..."

"—Of course, I will also protect everyone around me. I will not let your scheme succeed."

"It seems you've grasped something crucial."

Moriarty laughed and said, "Very well, the more variables the better. If you see this act of salvation as a conspiracy, then so be it."

"By the way, the Stibnite Person's ' "Rosy Cross" Society ' society is quite interesting. It is said that they hold a Sacred Rite in May—on May 5th, the Holy Day of the Hourglass. You can come and witness the ceremony."

The Gem Bird chuckled, and the cage opened by itself. "Daddy has an appointment I absolutely have to attend in Xingti next month... so I won't wait here. I'd better go to the appointment early."

"Remember to tell Her Titania that I'm leaving now."