The Thing You Promised Me, You Must Do

"This proves exactly that you don't belong to this spacetime. Otherwise, with strength like yours, you would absolutely have shaken the outcome fate had already set. You killed two Demon Gods, suppressed an army, slaughtered four low-ranking Demon Gods, and changed the course of the battle at Southeast Fortress. Put all of that together, and it would have been enough to make the river of fate change course."

He looked at Situ Xuan, that cold, hard face reflected in his orange-red eyes.

"But the river did not change course. It is still flowing in its original channel, as if the Demon Gods you killed came back to life, as if the army you suppressed stood up again, as if you had never done any of those things at all."

Situ Xuan slowly shook his head.

"Don't change the subject."

His voice was as cold as iron left overnight in an ice cellar.

"I'm asking you what you left inside me."

Vassago looked at him and fell silent for a moment.

In that silence, light flickered in his orange-red eyes. It was not reflected starlight, but light shining from within them, a power that belonged to him alone. That glow was gentle and soft, carrying a warmth like a hearth fire in winter. He looked at Situ Xuan as if he were witnessing something—witnessing something he had waited countless years for, finally happening before his eyes.

"A possibility."

His voice was very soft, so soft it sounded like he was making a wish.

"Another possibility that can let me break free from fate, that can let me break free from destiny."

Situ Xuan took a deep breath.

He was very dissatisfied with that answer.

Vassago had said a great deal, but had explained nothing clearly.

Fate, spacetime, possibility—those words sounded profound