“The Sage… it’s been a while since I’ve heard that title.”
Surrounded by grass and flowers, the old man lifted his head as if recalling that day.
I suspected that this place was somehow connected to ‘Life’ and looked similar to the cutscene, but to think he was actually a Sage.
In the cutscene, he appeared with an air of mystery, and already the chat window had deemed him a ‘villain.’
“It’s true that I was called a Sage in the past. But now, I’m merely occupying the position of my departed master.”
“Are you referring to the ‘Child of Life’ as your departed master?”
“A child… how amusing. They are not so easily swayed just because they are young…”
…
The Sage’s emerald eyes wandered aimlessly about the Spring of Life before returning to me.
“By the way, you seem to know that old story well. Even the Elders of various sects wouldn’t easily know it… Where did you hear it?”
[Whoa]
[Well, in the cutscene…]
[Cutscene]
[Let’s kill him]
[The Sage isn’t a villain after all]
“I read it in a book.”
“A book?”
“Yes. Do you happen to know this book?”
I handed the Sage the book titled ‘Old Tales’ that had come to me.
I had read and investigated its contents, so there was no problem in passing it along.
The Sage took the book in his wooden hands and began flipping through the pages one by one.
“Wow… it’s detailed indeed. And there are so many personal opinions on such a topic. How dare they judge them recklessly?”
The Sage’s face appeared remarkably calm due to his appearance, but I could sense a hint of anger beneath it.
He was genuinely displeased with the contents of the book.
Flutter. Flutter.
Clatter.
“Looking at your appearance, you must be an outsider from another world. Where did you get this book?”
“One day, the book just showed up at my place. It probably has something to do with the events that happened last time…”
“Something to do with?”
“Well, that’s…”
I recounted how I ended up here and how someone was trying to use me to destroy the Non-Swordsmanship Law. I even mentioned the unidentified monster that existed within it.
There was no reason to hide it.
If the Sage was indeed the same person as the one using me, it wouldn’t matter if I told him.
If he was on my side, it would be even better to understand the identity of the enemy.
‘Even if he’s on the other side, it wouldn’t be bad.’
Whatever the case, I had nothing to lose.
The Sage scratched his chin thoughtfully with his wooden fingers.
“Could it be that there are signs of awakening? But I don’t understand why they would even go so far as to unleash Reverse Monsters. I know they fear their existence, but it’s not like we can’t respond like in the past… How could they—”
“I understand that you’re afraid of existence, but it’s not like we can’t deal with this any longer like in the past. So how—”
“Over there.”
“Oh. I’m sorry for a moment.”
The sage relaxed his tense posture and looked at me as if to apologize.
[Suspicious]
[Anyone can see it’s the mastermind, lol]
[Wasn’t it a secret we aren’t supposed to tell?]
[Let’s just kill it, right?]
[Kill, let’s go, lol]
[Turns out it’s not the villain? Haha]
[Hmm]
[It might not be the mastermind either]
“Can I ask you something I’m curious about?”
“Go ahead.”
“According to the book, you decided to be buried alongside ‘Life’ after its sacrifice vanished.”
The Seven Children who descended upon Teshiniria.
They messed up the world, and the Child of Life, who couldn’t stand such behavior, staked its existence to put all the children to sleep.
The sage who gave that ‘advice’ decided to be buried alongside the Child of Life.
“…”
But why is the sage still alive?
For the first time, a hint of gloom crossed the sage’s peaceful expression.
“…I will depart to be by my master’s side. It’s a good story. Since you fell into eternal sleep thanks to my advice, it’s only fitting that I go too.”
But.
“The affairs of the world don’t just flow simply.”
“…….”
“Three years have passed since that incident. I tried to enter eternal sleep as well. The world regained its stability, and the rampaging reverses were almost all suppressed.”
The Seven Children, who had led the world to ruin, fell asleep.
With most of their remnants eliminated, it was now the turn of the surviving few humans to thrive again.
The seven leaders of these 1000 people in the world gathered, and that’s where the problem arose.
“Problem?”
“The world has been too devastated. Though it was only natural for powerful beings to rampage, it shouldn’t have been so.”
For ‘ordinary’ humans, survival in a desolate world was impossible.
The only ones who could survive were a tiny few who indirectly inherited power from the children.
Even if they continued their lineage, the power would dwindle over time, and extinction was a foregone conclusion.
“Fundamentally, there was no way without reversing ‘nature.’”
“So that’s why you used ‘Life.’”
“…Funny, isn’t it?”
The six leaders bowed to the sage and pleaded.
Please don’t abandon us.
Don’t abandon this land and its people, or even our future ‘descendants.’
Please don’t abandon humans and the ‘descendants’ yet to be born.
The sage pondered deeply and ultimately had no choice but to resurrect the ‘life’ that had died.
“It felt terrible.”
“……”
“I used the body of the slumbering master to create a massive spring. With that person’s infinite vitality, I restored nature and resurrected lives untouched by spirits.”
I… am a sinner.
“I’ve committed sins worthy of falling into hell. And I even rejected the mortality that everyone must experience.”
“…What about the reason for not sleeping until now?”
“The Spring of Life is connected to my soul. At that time, to move the existence of the star, I had to risk my own existence… Many people fell into hell back then.”
In the end, the death of the sage was akin to the death of this world.
“……”
“Can you not believe it? That’s understandable. It’s different from what is written in ‘this book’—”
“I believe you.”
Honestly, it doesn’t feel like they’re lying.
Though there are some discrepancies from the ‘old story’ as the sage said, it still sounds plausible enough.
[So the sage is the culprit?]
[Hmm…]
[???]
[I don’t know, let’s just kill them.]
[Long tongue, huh?]
“Do you know the name Anima?”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“Anima is a dragon with the properties of life, and that Dragon Heart possesses infinite vitality. Rumor has it that if you obtain the heart, you gain eternal life.”
Of course, it’s not just a rumor—it’s true.
Some demons have frequently used the Dragon of Life as experimental material, taking advantage of its resilience.
Of course, this ‘infinity’ doesn’t compare to celestials or demons, but it has tenacity on par with the Kraken or Vampiric Lasty.
“Among them, Anima is the king of living dragons. Like most Dragon Kings, Anima also had unique powers.”
“What is that?”
I silently used the earth’s numbers to lift water from the lake.
The deep life force imbued in every single drop.
Life force flowing at a level comparable to the center of the World Tree.
And this power is remarkably ‘abnormal.’
“Life is birth. While not comparable to the celestials, its essence is close to ‘resurrection.'”
“……”
“At first, I thought it was similar to Sugarado. Anima too seems to be trying to resurrect using its powers.”
Just like how Sugarado, dying from the fragments dropped by the plague Demon King, resorted to cunning to resurrect in a new body.
Anima, for some reason, lost its memories and powers and fell to Teshiniria, seemingly trying to resurrect over a long time.
I fell into Teshiniria, and I thought it would take a long time to be resurrected.
But the more I heard, the more it seemed otherwise.
“It’s too different to simply be called Anima.”
His personality, ideals, and behavior patterns were all so different.
“It’s as if Sgaredo isn’t moving, but ‘Sre’ is.”
Yet, unlike the two previous beings, there’s no ‘soul connection.’
It’s just a stranger.
Anima and the Child of Life have no connection besides a similar power.
“Residual. Maybe a shell. It’s highly likely to be a third party just wrapped in the shell of life.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“You’re trying to resurrect him, right?”
Boom!
The Spring of Life stirs.
You can tell just by wandering a bit around Teshiniria.
The higher-ups of the sect are bustling about, and the reason is that ‘something’ is trying to awaken.
But here’s the question.
Why are the Seven Children, who have been quietly sleeping for thousands of years, trying to wake up?
Is it because they lack power? But then, this Spring of Life seems too peaceful and without any issues.
In the end, there’s only one answer.
“……”
“To resurrect the Child of Life. Perhaps they’ve been waiting for this day.”
Longing to resurrect their old master.
[Hah!]
[Isn’t that the dark figure!!]
[Was he a dragon?]
[?ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[It’s pure love, pure love.]
[Are Sre and friends?]
[Is this penalty foreshadowing?]
[?]
[Ah, this is about the alien days of Lily.]
[LOL.]
[Is the alien concept still a meme?]
[Wait, were they really the dark figure?]
The sage’s expression turned cold.
“I’ll give you one piece of advice. The truth is a sweet poison, but it’s also the most dangerous. Someday that poison will grab your ankle.”
“But it’s sweet when you eat it.”
“Let’s keep today’s matters silent. Even if you leave, it’s best to be cautious.”
“Cautious of you?”
Whoosh!!
Water of life rises up.
A gigantic dragon figure covers the sky.
“Serving the master isn’t just my role. It’s wise to be careful.”
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