127 Times
The dilapidated and declining twilight scene constantly shattered and peeled off, revealing the deep dark clouds and endless storms of Black Crow Gaze.
After all, the four Void Sovereigns were eating at it at the same time, and the Twilight Barrier’s protection was constantly shattering. It probably wouldn’t be long before the Moon Realm domain, the Finality scene, was torn apart by the four mighty forces.
However, there was still some time before it completely shattered.
“You indeed… knew what this thing was used for from the beginning, right?”
Coles’s remnant soul asked weakly when he heard William’s question.
William nodded.
“But you didn’t even walk into that room,” Coles asked in confusion.
“Room? What room?” William asked in confusion.
“Furnace City, the basement of the Mad Sorcerer, Gedwin Lyle. Do you remember? We killed that lunatic back then together.”
Coles’s words reminded William of the prerequisite quests for the Eclipse ending.
Gedwin Lyle was a sorcerer who had fallen into madness from studying the Moon Realm. He had found a way to become a Moon Realm Void Sovereign after plenty of research—of course, he was more likely to have learned of it under the inspiration of a Void Sovereign.
However, he also realized that he didn’t have the qualifications to ascend, so he began to search for people who did. If the player recruited him into the Doomsday Watchers, he would guide the player to activate the quest line for the Eclipse ending. However, even if the player killed him, they could find documentary information in his residence to activate the quest line.
boxn ov el. c o mWilliam burned down the house in that save.
In addition, perhaps because of the producer’s malice, the difficulty of the Eclipse ending was far lower than the other levels. Not only would players obtain the powerful blessings of the Void Sovereigns along the way, but the intensity of the Moon Realm invasion would also decrease accordingly.
“Do you remember? You didn’t even walk in back then. Instead, you burned down his house from the outside,” Coles said.
“Because I know what’s inside,” William replied simply.
“Then, you had this chance a thousand years ago… I don’t understand why you and Blake…” Coles asked in confusion.
It still couldn’t figure out why someone was willing to give up this opportunity.
“Just answer my question—how do you know about the Seed of Hope?” William interrupted Coles.
The remnant soul replied, “After you left, I followed the path of Judgment’s salvation back then and began a pilgrimage. In the ruins of Furnace City, I found fragments of some documents, including records about the Seed of Hope.”
“And your ambition was ignited?” William asked expressionlessly.
“I only obtained documents about the Seed of Hope back then. It wasn’t even complete,” the remnant soul replied.
“Then when was it lit?” William nodded and continued asking.
“After I learned how lucky we were to defeat the Moon Realm back then,” Coles’s remnant soul replied.
Then, it continued, “But I don’t think this is any ‘ambition.’ In the Moon Realm, the three Void Sovereigns who created the Crowman curse found me. They showed me how you won—coincidences, countless coincidences. Although your strength is comparable to the perfect incarnation the Void Sovereign created in Currere a thousand years ago, you always seem to be able to choose the possibility of victory from countless possibilities.”
The Twilight Wall on the horizon was almost destroyed. Black Crow Gaze’s storm began to scour the ancient Twilight Fortress.
Other than that, more phenomena began to appear around him. It was a sign that the four Void Sovereigns were about to break through.
“But it’s impossible to keep winning just by luck. The Void Sovereign has infinite bargaining chips to play with mortals. Only by becoming an existence on the same level as Them can it be possible…”
“If that’s your reason, I can only say that I’m very disappointed.”
William interrupted it.
As he spoke, he aimed Judgment 2 at the faint white speck of light on Coles’s remnant soul’s chest.
“From the beginning to the end, I’ve only heard complaints, as if you had no choice. As for the plan to leave the Blackwater Province as a sanctuary, it’s just you consoling yourself. Tell me, what did you really sacrifice for this? Is it your conscience or guilt?”
Coles retorted, Then, do you know how the Orsis Continent in the west was reduced to ruins? The three Void Sovereigns showed me the scene of the continent’s destruction. Vic Continent is only one of the many stages in Currere. Perhaps it’s currently Their favorite stage, but what’s the point? Perhaps they will encounter the same fate as the Orsis Continent one day. Therefore, tell me, how should I have chosen? Should I personally send some people to their deaths to preserve the survival of more people? Or should I do nothing and wait for this continent to be reduced to ruins one day?”
In this sense, if the Vic Continent finally completed the plane fusion with the Moon Realm, it was equivalent to becoming a vassal of the Moon Realm. As long as one wasn’t in the domain of a few special Void Sovereigns, one didn’t have to worry about the entire continent being reduced to ruins one morning.
Of course, what happened to the mortals living inside was another matter.
“The trolley problem again…”
William muttered softly. Then, he raised his voice and said, “Get rid of all the guys who gave you this choice. This is my answer.”
The real concern of the trolley problem was how to kill the lunatic who tied people to the rails and how to prevent such a situation from happening again—instead of questioning human nature over and over again via the moral dilemma given by a lunatic.
Coles’s remnant soul trembled. A few seconds later, it asked, “Then how do we resolve it? Back then, you had an army, the support of countless powerhouses, and the entire continent as your backing… And look at what’s left? This isn’t a thousand years ago. Presiding Judge, times have changed!”
“No… Coles, the times haven’t changed.”
Before stabbing the sword into Coles’s chest, William said calmly, “I’m the times.”
Judgment 2 stabbed Coles’s remnant soul as easily as stabbing into smoke. The ethereal white light in front of its chest flew into William’s hand along the straight sword.
Looking at the white light, William took out the Seed of Hope from his inventory and fused it.
Back then, Blake swallowed the Seed of Hope through a freak combination of factors and entered the final ‘reversal’ stage of the advancement ritual in advance.
Although he ultimately failed to ‘digest’ the Seed of Hope because he lacked fuel, he still absorbed a portion of its power.
Therefore, the Seed of Hope in William’s hand wasn’t complete. A portion of its power was in Coles’s body, in the weak white spot of light on its chest.
The Seed of Hope was now complete in William’s hands.
“Then, can I ask one last question?” Coles asked before it completely dissipated.
It didn’t wait for William’s reply and continued, “Activating the Twilight Fortress to block this place requires a Judge to continuously provide energy in the Twilight Hall. Presiding Judge, which old friend is helping you?”
After the incident at the Holy Sepulchre, Coles hadn’t looked for any Judges in the past thousand years.
Coles couldn’t tell if it was because it was worried about complicating matters or if it simply didn’t want to see them again.
Also, if it didn’t want to see them again, what were the emotions that compelled it to have this decision?
It only faced this problem before its death.
However, before it could obtain an answer to this question, its remnant soul completely dissipated in midair.
William looked at Coles who had disappeared in front of him and slowly said to the empty space, “Cass Durant, he’s not any of your old friends, but Blake’s successor to Judgment 4. He’s also the first new Judge of this era.”
“New times, our times.”
With that said, the Twilight Barrier in the sky completely shattered.
Four figures surrounded him.
127 Times
The dilapidated and declining twilight scene constantly shattered and peeled off, revealing the deep dark clouds and endless storms of Black Crow Gaze.
After all, the four Void Sovereigns were eating at it at the same time, and the Twilight Barrier’s protection was constantly shattering. It probably wouldn’t be long before the Moon Realm domain, the Finality scene, was torn apart by the four mighty forces.
However, there was still some time before it completely shattered.
“You indeed… knew what this thing was used for from the beginning, right?”
Coles’s remnant soul asked weakly when he heard William’s question.
William nodded.
“But you didn’t even walk into that room,” Coles asked in confusion.
“Room? What room?” William asked in confusion.
“Furnace City, the basement of the Mad Sorcerer, Gedwin Lyle. Do you remember? We killed that lunatic back then together.”
Coles’s words reminded William of the prerequisite quests for the Eclipse ending.
Gedwin Lyle was a sorcerer who had fallen into madness from studying the Moon Realm. He had found a way to become a Moon Realm Void Sovereign after plenty of research—of course, he was more likely to have learned of it under the inspiration of a Void Sovereign.
However, he also realized that he didn’t have the qualifications to ascend, so he began to search for people who did. If the player recruited him into the Doomsday Watchers, he would guide the player to activate the quest line for the Eclipse ending. However, even if the player killed him, they could find documentary information in his residence to activate the quest line.
boxn ov el. c o mWilliam burned down the house in that save.
In addition, perhaps because of the producer’s malice, the difficulty of the Eclipse ending was far lower than the other levels. Not only would players obtain the powerful blessings of the Void Sovereigns along the way, but the intensity of the Moon Realm invasion would also decrease accordingly.
“Do you remember? You didn’t even walk in back then. Instead, you burned down his house from the outside,” Coles said.
“Because I know what’s inside,” William replied simply.
“Then, you had this chance a thousand years ago… I don’t understand why you and Blake…” Coles asked in confusion.
It still couldn’t figure out why someone was willing to give up this opportunity.
“Just answer my question—how do you know about the Seed of Hope?” William interrupted Coles.
The remnant soul replied, “After you left, I followed the path of Judgment’s salvation back then and began a pilgrimage. In the ruins of Furnace City, I found fragments of some documents, including records about the Seed of Hope.”
“And your ambition was ignited?” William asked expressionlessly.
“I only obtained documents about the Seed of Hope back then. It wasn’t even complete,” the remnant soul replied.
“Then when was it lit?” William nodded and continued asking.
“After I learned how lucky we were to defeat the Moon Realm back then,” Coles’s remnant soul replied.
Then, it continued, “But I don’t think this is any ‘ambition.’ In the Moon Realm, the three Void Sovereigns who created the Crowman curse found me. They showed me how you won—coincidences, countless coincidences. Although your strength is comparable to the perfect incarnation the Void Sovereign created in Currere a thousand years ago, you always seem to be able to choose the possibility of victory from countless possibilities.”
The Twilight Wall on the horizon was almost destroyed. Black Crow Gaze’s storm began to scour the ancient Twilight Fortress.
Other than that, more phenomena began to appear around him. It was a sign that the four Void Sovereigns were about to break through.
“But it’s impossible to keep winning just by luck. The Void Sovereign has infinite bargaining chips to play with mortals. Only by becoming an existence on the same level as Them can it be possible…”
“If that’s your reason, I can only say that I’m very disappointed.”
William interrupted it.
As he spoke, he aimed Judgment 2 at the faint white speck of light on Coles’s remnant soul’s chest.
“From the beginning to the end, I’ve only heard complaints, as if you had no choice. As for the plan to leave the Blackwater Province as a sanctuary, it’s just you consoling yourself. Tell me, what did you really sacrifice for this? Is it your conscience or guilt?”
Coles retorted, Then, do you know how the Orsis Continent in the west was reduced to ruins? The three Void Sovereigns showed me the scene of the continent’s destruction. Vic Continent is only one of the many stages in Currere. Perhaps it’s currently Their favorite stage, but what’s the point? Perhaps they will encounter the same fate as the Orsis Continent one day. Therefore, tell me, how should I have chosen? Should I personally send some people to their deaths to preserve the survival of more people? Or should I do nothing and wait for this continent to be reduced to ruins one day?”
In this sense, if the Vic Continent finally completed the plane fusion with the Moon Realm, it was equivalent to becoming a vassal of the Moon Realm. As long as one wasn’t in the domain of a few special Void Sovereigns, one didn’t have to worry about the entire continent being reduced to ruins one morning.
Of course, what happened to the mortals living inside was another matter.
“The trolley problem again…”
William muttered softly. Then, he raised his voice and said, “Get rid of all the guys who gave you this choice. This is my answer.”
The real concern of the trolley problem was how to kill the lunatic who tied people to the rails and how to prevent such a situation from happening again—instead of questioning human nature over and over again via the moral dilemma given by a lunatic.
Coles’s remnant soul trembled. A few seconds later, it asked, “Then how do we resolve it? Back then, you had an army, the support of countless powerhouses, and the entire continent as your backing… And look at what’s left? This isn’t a thousand years ago. Presiding Judge, times have changed!”
“No… Coles, the times haven’t changed.”
Before stabbing the sword into Coles’s chest, William said calmly, “I’m the times.”
Judgment 2 stabbed Coles’s remnant soul as easily as stabbing into smoke. The ethereal white light in front of its chest flew into William’s hand along the straight sword.
Looking at the white light, William took out the Seed of Hope from his inventory and fused it.
Back then, Blake swallowed the Seed of Hope through a freak combination of factors and entered the final ‘reversal’ stage of the advancement ritual in advance.
Although he ultimately failed to ‘digest’ the Seed of Hope because he lacked fuel, he still absorbed a portion of its power.
Therefore, the Seed of Hope in William’s hand wasn’t complete. A portion of its power was in Coles’s body, in the weak white spot of light on its chest.
The Seed of Hope was now complete in William’s hands.
“Then, can I ask one last question?” Coles asked before it completely dissipated.
It didn’t wait for William’s reply and continued, “Activating the Twilight Fortress to block this place requires a Judge to continuously provide energy in the Twilight Hall. Presiding Judge, which old friend is helping you?”
After the incident at the Holy Sepulchre, Coles hadn’t looked for any Judges in the past thousand years.
Coles couldn’t tell if it was because it was worried about complicating matters or if it simply didn’t want to see them again.
Also, if it didn’t want to see them again, what were the emotions that compelled it to have this decision?
It only faced this problem before its death.
However, before it could obtain an answer to this question, its remnant soul completely dissipated in midair.
William looked at Coles who had disappeared in front of him and slowly said to the empty space, “Cass Durant, he’s not any of your old friends, but Blake’s successor to Judgment 4. He’s also the first new Judge of this era.”
“New times, our times.”
With that said, the Twilight Barrier in the sky completely shattered.
Four figures surrounded him.
