Amphoreus, the " Strife Ruins " -Castrum Kremnos
"Teacher Trianne, there are many dangers ahead. You stay here and find a safe place to hide."
"We'll return after we complete our mission. We'll need your help using the ' World-Splitting Gate ' then, okay?"
"Understood." Trianne, taking a sip of her milk tea. "Hide well and don't let the bad guys find you!"
"Hmm... with this milk tea, no one can really do anything to Teacher Trianne."
Xing's gaze never left the milk tea in Trianne's hand, which must be a legacy left by Ye Yan.
"But is she really a 'demigod'? She looks like a child..." she whispered in Phainon's ear.
"Teacher Trianne also paid a heavy price for Amphoreus."
After bidding farewell to Trianne, the three officially began their " Trailblaze " of Castrum Kremnos!
but...
They had only taken a few steps when they were forced to stop because of the broken bridge in front of them.
"It seems that it's not just the enemy that's holding us back. This bridge has been in disrepair for years; even the craftsmanship of Castrum Kremnos can be unreliable?" Phainon asked, turning his head.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, the outer city was built by criminals."
Phainon joked, "Oh, no wonder you're so fragile. Maybe these people are getting revenge on you."
"It doesn't matter. Here, resistance is never shameful, whether against an enemy or a death row inmate."
"However, it has now stopped those who wanted to kill Nikador. At times like these, we should cherish the power of Teacher Tribbie."
Xing was somewhat surprised, "Haven't you learned the ' Oronyx's Prayer '?"
" Guild " and "mastering" are two different concepts. Without the priest's resonance, an ordinary person would fall into a coma after reciting just a few prayers.
"What a coincidence, I'm no ordinary person."
Xing confidently pulled out an hourglass-shaped necklace. " The Oronyx's Prayer of ' Years ' is so outdated. It's all about ' Eternity ' now!"
It's a pity that the hourglass necklace hasn't been developed for manned flight yet, so the three of them had no choice but to walk across.
Moreover, this is Mydei's hometown after all, and it's our first collaboration, so we need to be mindful of our image.
Using the hourglass necklace, the three easily ventured deep into the city and stopped in front of the temple.
"Look, in the sky! That's—"
The most conspicuous thing is the giant sword that hangs high in the sky, which Mydei call the " Edge of Divine Retribution " - even though the world has been shattered, it still hangs high above the heads of the people.
"That's truly spectacular..."
"You haven't seen its most magnificent form yet. In the past, Nikador used that giant sword to destroy Aegle's heavenly kingdom, and city-state after city-state."
"It is not merely a weapon, but also the faith of those Kremnosians. The souls who bravely sacrifice themselves on the battlefield will temper the blade in Nikador's hands, becoming part of the divine power of the King."
"This is the Titan ' conquest— Nikador, their retinue, and those who believe in ' Strife, ' all are invincible and unstoppable. Even in death, they will embrace [ Eternity ] glory."
Buzz!
The hourglass necklace involuntarily shimmered when the word " Eternity " was mentioned.
Xing's gaze remained fixed on the " Edge of Divine Retribution," and her non-existent collecting habit suddenly kicked in; she had a sudden urge to use her hourglass necklace to collect it...
Ahem~ That was a bit impolite.
"Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration? I can recall at least three defeats Castrum Kremnos suffered in the Golden War."
"It's not shameful to be defeated by intrigue and treachery," Mydei shook his head. "Those weak and despicable people should be ashamed of it."
"That's true. 'Better to die in battle than return in glory'— the Kremnosians are all straightforward, spending their lives on the battlefield. No wonder Zagreus loved to tease you."
"... But all of that is in the past. Guess what I'm thinking, Mydei?"
"It's probably not a good thing. To put it simply."
Phainon suggested, "This is not just an expedition, but also a battle. Now that we're here... why don't we have a good, unrestrained competition?"
"You and I—to recreate the original ' Kremnos Festival '."
"Let me witness the grandest combat arena in Castrum Kremnos, and add another layer of glory to this conquest. Let's see who can take down more of these crazed minions—how about it?"
What's the stake?
"The final blow to Nikador."
Xing was caught in the middle of the two, unsure of what to say. Had they simply ignored her, this visitor from outer space?
"And me? Should I be the referee?"
"I know her; she only likes to work alone. There are two paths ahead, and Xing will take one with me."
"No speed races, just the number of spoils; counting is purely by intuition. Don't worry, I won't count the enemies Xing dealt with as my own."
Xing, hands on hips, asked, "Then shall I start a separate column?"
"What does it matter? What difference does it make? You know nothing about this place, so I'll give you a ten-step head start."
Seeing this, Phainon looked hesitant, as if he wanted to offer some advice to Mydei.
He recalled the terrifying power Star had displayed in his battle against the Titan avatar of " Strife " a day earlier at the Cloud Stone Heavenly Palace.
What does it mean to have as many as four or five weapons: baseball bat, lance, top hat, necklace... and possibly even a trump card?
"Haha~ You've been completely underestimated. But I won't back down—partner, let's go!"
Meanwhile, the Aedes Elysiae, the Court of Repose
" Mimi ~ Mimi ~"
Ye Yan smiled as he watched Mimi sip her milk tea and try to express Mimi.
Ah~ that's the charm of language... or rather, the charm of milk tea.
Although the little gadget didn't say a word, he could tell from the onomatopoeia that the milk tea was really delicious.
While Ye Yan and Mimi were still deep in thought about the milk tea, Phainon and Cyrene had already returned to the courtyard.
"How is it? I can sense that the fog in your heart seems to have lifted a little."
"I never imagined I would meet so many people in the future, and know their wishes... But how could fate reveal such a thing?"
What are you worried about?
Having emerged from the " Lost in the Maze " tree hole, Cyrene took on the role of Dodora Mi and inquired with concern.
"Didn't the village chief just say that a great calamity is about to befall Amphoreus? If that were the case, you and I should have stayed in the Aedes Elysiae, so how did we end up meeting all sorts of people?"
"Hmm... perhaps they've arrived at the Aedes Elysiae."
"Isolated villages have become humanity's last refuge... that makes sense."
Phainon paused for a moment, then looked at Cyrene: "... Could you give me that ' Savior ' card?"
"Of course you can. But why?"
"Although the voices, faces, and desires it foreshadows are still too distant for me right now..."
Phainon looked up at the sky, "But I always felt a voice calling to me, urging me to pick it up."
"Or perhaps, I'll only truly know its weight after I pick it up."