The Return Journey and a New Declaration of War

They floated above the crumbling ruins, silently watching the royal court once built from their flesh and blood slowly fade away.

No one spoke.

Only 6,217 streams of light pulsed gently at their own frequencies, like 6,217 silent sighs.

The Devourer Lord had fled long ago.

The moment it realized its power could not stop those "food sources" from devouring it in turn, it ran. It fled deeper into the dimensions, toward the place it believed no civilization would ever dare enter—the true core of the Archivist Network.

But it could not escape.

Lin Ye did not pursue it.

He merely watched that dark crimson streak vanish into the depths of the dimensions and said softly, "Tell your masters—the Ashen Guardians will come. But not yet."

He turned to face the 6,217 streams of light. "Everyone."

All 6,217 streams trembled gently at once, like 6,217 voiceless replies of "Here."

Lin Ye smiled. "The Taotie Court is gone, and your vengeance against those who devoured you has been fulfilled. But do you know who your true enemy is?"

Silence.

After a long while, one stream of light slowly formed a line of text. "The Archivists. They created the Scavengers, allowed Taotie to grow, and sanctioned the cleansing of every 'anomaly.' They are the source of all tragedy."

Lin Ye nodded. "That's right. So—the war has only just begun."

He raised a hand, pointing toward the cold Radiance of the Archivist Network flickering faintly in the depths of the dimensions. "There are more civilizations there that were erased like you. More obsessions still sleeping. More existences that need to be remembered. I'm going. Will you—come with me?"

All 6,217 streams of light blazed at once!

Their glow was more blazing, more resolute, more eager than ever before.

They had waited through endless