Gaze from the Past

60 years before the death of the Hero.

Under the command of Schlacht the [Omniscient], the Demon King Army advanced like a hot knife through butter.

Human society stood on the brink of total annihilation.

Yet, within the Demon King Castle, the victories on the front lines could not dispel the gloom in Schlacht's heart.

He stood on the castle balcony, looking down at the demon soldiers readying for deployment, and activated his [Future Prediction] magic once more, but after only a moment, the magical fluctuations faded into stillness.

"Still not the slightest change?" Schlacht murmured, "Just as you said, all who pry into fate shall eventually be mocked by it."

From the ink-black shadows behind him came a low chuckle.

"That is enough, Schlacht."

"But..."

The figure in the shadows waved a hand, cutting off Schlacht's words, and spoke to himself:

"The future of the demon race shall be born upon the tombstone of the Demon King. Doesn't that sound interesting?"

"We have been planning for this for a thousand years, Schlacht."

Schlacht bowed his head slightly, "It is just that the price is far too great."

"Haha, there is a saying in the human world: 'Equivalent Exchange.' Since I am the one who wishes to unveil the answer, I have no complaints if the scales of fate demand my life in return."

Long before this war began, Schlacht had foreseen the death of the Demon King.

When he informed him of this, the Demon King felt no fear; on the contrary, he accepted it gladly, firmly believing that his own death would be the cornerstone for the demon race's glorious future.

Since then, Schlacht had repeatedly activated his [Future Prediction] magic, attempting to pierce through the shadows of fate to see more of the demon race's future.

But it was all in vain.

From that moment on, fate had covered his eyes, and he could no longer see what lay ahead.

"Return to the front lines, Schlacht. Annihilate humanity completely, and let me see the answer of fate."

Having said this, the Demon King's presence vanished from the spot.

Schlacht stood there for a long time, gazing at the roaring, ocean-like tide of the Demon King Army below, lost in thought.

Suddenly.

A pale purple magic veiled his eyes.

His [Future Prediction] magic was forcibly triggered by an unknown power.

"So that is how it is..."

In that instant, Schlacht saw the future of the demon race once again.

The death of the Demon King was unavoidable, but he, Schlacht, would lead the [Seven Sages of Destruction] to successfully intercept the strongest human, the Hero of the South, bringing a turning point in fate for the demon race.

Humans would successfully withstand this war of slaughter and gain a moment to catch their breath.

But a beast is at its most vulnerable when it licks its wounds; when that time came, the demon race would win this thousand-year-long racial struggle.

Like the Demon King, he would not be able to witness the final victory.

But that was fine; he did not care.

Schlacht closed his eyes, carefully examining the future he had just glimpsed, and the name anchored to the threads of fate—Shane.

"Truly an interesting future."

During the same period, in a mountain forest within the Central Nations.

A tall man carrying two swords stood under the shade of a tree. The man was elegant and handsome, possessing an extraordinary temperament, yet for some reason, he sported a pair of somewhat "playful" mustaches.

This man was the one from the Southern Nations known as the strongest human, the Hero of the South.

The Hero of the South watched the elven girl in the distance with a smile.

The girl was crouching by the river, washing the fruits and vegetables she had just gathered.

The Hero of the South knew that with the girl's profound mastery of magic, her "mana detection" had long since discovered him.

But since she had no intention of greeting him, he decided to wait a while.

After all, it was lunchtime.

Suddenly, a tremor from the depths of his soul clouded his vision.

His [Future Sight] magic triggered automatically.

In that instant, the Hero of the South saw the near future.

He saw Schlacht, who was supposed to carry out the slaughter plan, suddenly change his mind; he saw the [Seven Sages of Destruction] gathering on the northern plateau; he saw the tragic outcome of his own battle against them... and he even saw the future decades later...

The future, which had been like a thick fog, suddenly anchored into a clear path after a certain name appeared.

"Shane?"

The smile that had originally been on his face froze, slowly fading into calm, and finally, into a sense of relief.

"So, I won't make it to the Demon King Castle after all."

There was no attempt to hide the regret in the man's tone.

But after only a moment, he regained his confidence. "At least taking down three of the Seven Sages of Destruction—that's not a bad trade."

Thinking this, he stopped waiting in silence and stepped out from the shade of the trees, appearing before the elven girl.

Judging by the amount of mana she radiated, she seemed to be an ordinary mage of mediocre skill, but the Hero of the South knew well that she was a "monster" who had been training in silence for a thousand years.

Inviting her to join him in subjugating the Demon King was the purpose of his journey.

"I refuse."

After hearing the Hero of the South's invitation, the elven girl did not hesitate for a single second, refusing outright and stating plainly that she could not defeat the Demon King.

The Hero of the South gave a self-deprecating smile. "As I thought, it's not possible?"

Hearing his words, the elven girl looked puzzled. "You sound as if you knew the outcome beforehand."

The Hero of the South stared into the elven girl's eyes for a moment, re-examining the future he had just witnessed, before he spoke again. "I did know, because I can see the future."

"In the future, one year from now, I will be on the Northern Plateau, facing the strongest combatants under the Demon King—the Seven Sages of Destruction—and I will perish alongside the All-Knowing Schlacht."

Hearing this, Frieren, who had been indifferent until now, stopped what she was doing and looked seriously at the tall hero before her. "If you know you are destined to die, then why come at all?"

The Hero of the South smiled. "I know that the one who ultimately saves the world is not me. That is fine; there will always be those who come after to walk this path toward victory."

A boy named Himmel will take up his ideals and beliefs to end the Demon King, and a boy named Shane will lead humanity to completely end this race war that has lasted for a thousand years.

Even if my great deeds are destined to exist only in the shadows of history, it does not matter.

The elven girl frowned.

She did not quite understand the Hero of the South's words; if one is destined to fail at a task, why bother trying?

The Hero of the South saw the girl's confusion. He did not expect many to understand his ideals and ambitions; he simply... wanted to see with his own eyes the girl who would become a legend in the future.

It is still a little frustrating, after all.

He gave a self-deprecating laugh and turned around decisively.

"Frieren, could you do me a favor?"

"?"

"When you set out on your journey, please pass a message to that successor for me. Tell him that the one known as humanity's strongest, the Hero of the South, will personally pave the way forward for him."

Having said this, he held his head high and walked forward to face his fate.

Eighty years later, in the Southern Nations, the Lamir region, deep within the Ghost Bunker.

Shane stepped into the chamber that had been sealed for a thousand years.

The threads of fate anchored at this very moment.