Go Become a Heroic Spirit

"What is the Root? What am I? And what exactly is the Counter Force?" The boy's tone was icy, yet heavy with profound confusion.

Alaya and Gaia exchanged a glance.

The boy did not understand why these two little girls had fallen into silence.

He closed his eyes, as if intending to drift back into slumber.

"Hey, wake up." Alaya touched the boy once more.

The boy reopened his eyes, looking at Alaya with a mix of helplessness and grievance.

"Why choose to continue sleeping? I cannot comprehend it," Gaia shook her head, speaking in a mechanical tone.

Unlike the emotionless Gaia, Alaya, born from the wishes of humanity, understood the boy to some extent.

A human body, human physiological structure, and a soul similar to a human's—combined, he was, in essence, a human.

An ordinary human.

A human capable of thought.

"Wandering the outside world must be exhausting, right?" Alaya spoke up.

Gaia turned her head to look at Alaya, as if wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent.

"Exhausting?" The boy glanced at Alaya, then continued to stare at the Root before him.

He did not understand what it felt like to be exhausted, nor what the word meant.

"Let's get straight to the point," Gaia appeared somewhat impatient. "We need you, boy."

"Need... me?" The boy calmly voiced his question.

"That's right, we need you." Alaya did not stop Gaia, instead chiming in.

"Why do you need me? How do you need me?" The boy continued to question.

Gaia's vacant eyes stared at the boy: "We need you to help us suppress the decay of this world itself."

"World... decay?" The boy tilted his head.

He still did not understand what was happening.

"So, what exactly is it that you need me to do?"

Gaia was about to speak, but Alaya was a step faster: "Become a Heroic Spirit."

"Heroic Spirit?"

Gaia opened her mouth, glancing at Alaya.

"Leave a sufficiently famous footprint in human history and become a Heroic Spirit; that is what we need you to do."

"That sounds alright." The boy smiled.

"Then, please accept my blessing, Root Thread (anno)." Alaya extended a hand.

Gaia hesitated for a moment before also extending a hand: "Please, accept my blessing as well, Root Thread (anno)."

"We will send you into a well-known period of history."

"I'm counting on you."

The boy felt a moment of dizziness and nodded with a smile.

"I hope I can do it."

Having accepted the blessings of the Counter Force, the boy vanished from above the Root, leaving only the two Counter Forces behind.

"You never said you would make him a Heroic Spirit, Alaya." Gaia's tone was calm, but her dissatisfaction was clearly audible.

The Throne of Heroes was managed by Alaya, and it was difficult for Gaia to intervene; if the Root Thread (anno) became a Heroic Spirit, it meant he would automatically become Alaya's subordinate.

Alaya knew she had gone too far this time, but she had no intention of backing down.

"Isn't it good to have him become a Heroic Spirit? At least it will be faster to brand him with the mark of our world."

Gaia looked at Alaya without a word, and her manifested form vanished into the Swirl of the Root.

Alaya wore an expression that resembled a smile, then she, too, vanished.

The space above the Root remained as it always was: empty and desolate.