The Vortex of Genesis, the Trial of " Years "
On March 7th, analyzing the situation on the field, he concluded that the enemy outnumbered them, and they had no choice but to avoid battle.
I can't think of any way to win right now. Letting a beautiful young girl fight Flame Reaver —is the matchmaking system malfunctioning?
"Sigh~"
Then, after a few minutes of mental preparation, on March 7th, I changed the ice gun's bullets to " Six-Phased Ice," took a deep breath, and resolutely walked out...
Amphoreus, " Demigod Council " Dawncloud Cliff
"... The entire area Black Tide; it's unbearable to look at."
After browsing through Anaxa's Remembrance from when she was five years old, Cerces then looked at Anaxa.
"As a child, I couldn't accept this outcome either. Georia, Aegle, Kephale... and of course, you."
"I've begged every Titan I could, but alas, it's all to no avail."
Cerces asked, "This... could this be the beginning of your research into 'alchemy'?"
"Indeed, it all began in your verdant courtyard. When I was studying there, I naturally came into contact with the theories of the 'first scholar,' Celsus."
"Oh, I remember him. He was the one who first proposed the concept of 'soul,' wasn't he?"
"Furthermore, he believed that the composition, movement, and change of all life and objects originated from the 'soul' itself. Therefore, I think..."
At that Anaxa told Cerces his theory, "Since all life originates from the same source—why can't I sacrifice myself to resurrect my loved ones?"
Then, Anaxa was lost in a memory...
The voice of his mentor Empedocles, came first. " Anaxa, you..."
"I did it, teacher!"
"This... this is blasphemy... Even someone as free as Grove, this is enough to send you to the Flame-Chase deathbed...!"
"Where is your dearest...? Quickly send her away from the Grove, to a place where no one can find her, or we will both face the judgment of the Seven Sages...!"
"Don't worry, teacher. My sister... she... is still not alive."
Empedocles was startled. "What does this mean...?"
"To think you can reclaim the deceased from Thanatos with just one eye is far too naive..."
"An equivalent exchange... all I can get is to see her one last time, nothing more."
"Stop, Anaxa," Empedocles sighed softly. "You are my best student, and I can't just watch you go astray."
Never cross the line: Don't let the deceased down again, and don't hurt yourself. That way, this classroom can still belong to you, and you'll still have the chance to live your own life.
"Now that I've seen her one last time, I have no more desires... You're right, teacher. It's time for me to start a new life."
"I am truly proud of you, my child. What kind of research topic would you like to pursue next?"
At that Anaxa Miao replied, "I want to continue my research on Celsus."
"Continue the research on the 'soul'? But you know, Grove already knows his thoughts perfectly well. Even if we continue to dig deeper, it will probably be in vain..."
"No, teacher." Anaxa, "After a fleeting glimpse through the fog of death, I finally understood one thing: from ancient times to the present, our understanding of the 'soul' is merely the tip of the iceberg."
"I lost an eye, but my vision is clearer than ever before..."
At that Anaxa placed his hand on his blindfold, "The truth is in my hands... Watch how I turn this illogical world upside down."
Meanwhile, Cerces continued to relish searching for that Anaxa's " Remembrance."
"Ah, you were born in a remote city-state. Your parents passed away early, leaving only your older sister to depend on you for survival, supporting the family with the meager wages from training animals."
"You've always been withdrawn and isolated. While your peers were playing on the grass, you would hide in the shade of the trees and pick up fallen leaves."
Why can't the Earth Beast fly into the sky?
As a child Anaxa looked at the Earth Beast that had accompanied her as she grew up and murmured to herself.
"Because this Earth Beast was a bookworm in its previous life too!"
He had heard such words countless times, but he never understood why they were a form of mockery.
If gods are omnipotent, why would they fear death?
In the temple where Hadith is read, things that seem self-evident will always make you question them.
"Get out, Anaxagoras!" The furious priests often drove him out of the temple.
Your sister never blamed you; instead, she squeezed out a portion of her meager income to buy you the books and tools you had been longing for.
Tiny Screwllum, heavy pliers, light balances... You tinker with these instruments at home, completely immersed in the joy of creation.
At the Anaxa always had an endless Curiosity about life: the mechanical bird that sang automatically, the Earth Beast incubator, the artificial flowers that were always brightly colored—you shamelessly said that you wanted to become the most knowledgeable person.
"Tsk tsk tsk~ It's really rare for a child's bold words to be taken seriously by their family."
Later, she heard from passing merchants that there was an academy called Grove of Epiphany, a sacred place for the pursuit of wisdom.
Anaxa, thinking that if she could go there with her sister in the future, life wouldn't be so hard.
Later, she finally raised enough money for the journey and asked a traveling merchant friend to give her a ride to Grove to study.
Halfway there, you hear of the approaching Black Tide and rush back. The eroded ruins are truly unbearable to look at...
"Proud as you are, you've actually knelt on the ground. Were you praying to God...?"
"Stop rummaging through my brain, you naughty Titan."
At that Anaxa snapped out of her reverie, and a fleeting emotion, whether anger or sorrow, flashed in her right eye.
"Oh... such a secret is hidden beneath your heavy eye patch."
"However, this story is not so much related to what you're planning... it's completely unrelated."
The answer lies within.
At that Anaxa opened her hands, her lips still as sweet as honey:
"If you can't even figure this out, you might as well hand over the power of ' Reason ' to me; keeping it is just a waste."
"That's the end of my story. Now it's time to tell you your secret. It's all about 'equivalent exchange,' right?"
"As expected, they set a trap for me... Unfortunately... even if I were to recount my past, I may not know more than you do."
Cerces simply smiled.
"Oh? The renowned Titan of Reason admits he lacks wisdom? You believers are in for a disappointment."
"Son of man, remember this: the greatest wisdom is to know one's own ignorance."
Anaxa snorted coldly, "No wonder you asked me to answer your nonsensical question."
"Not only that, but only you can answer my questions—as the saying goes, 'the onlooker sees most of the game.'"
"Hmph~ 'The bystander sees more of the game,' huh..."