From far away, Amos and Cyrene saw a huge four-armed figure standing upon the earth, carrying a dazzling sphere of light on its back.
The World-Bearing Titan, Kephale, one of the few gods in all of Amphoreus who could still receive the worship of believers.
Beneath it stood a massive city, the “Eternal Holy City,” Okhema.
Compared to the miserable state they had been in when entering Janusapolis, and the lack of attention they received when arriving at the Grove of Epiphany, the reception for the two of them upon arriving in Okhema this time was grand.
The Chrysos Heirs who chased the flame, the most honored group in all of Okhema, had nearly half their members present.
Hyacine, Castorice, Phainon, and a little girl with red hair.
Judging by her hairstyle, she should be Trianne.
“Hello, welcome to Okhema!” Following tradition, the Chrysos Heirs held a small banquet for the two of them.
During the gathering, Amos not only met Aglaea, but also Mydei.
It seemed that shortly after Phainon returned from the Grove of Epiphany, he had become the face of Okhema and then fought with the Crown Prince of Kremnos.
Though he had said he would protect Cyrene, Amos knew his own strength was insignificant.
So after the banquet, when the Chrysos Heirs discussed plans for defeating the Titans, Amos did not interrupt.
All he could do was stay by Cyrene’s side.
Perhaps that would make the girl feel more at ease.
After coming to Okhema, Amos felt even more insignificant.
He devoted twice as much effort to studying soul techniques, but saw little result.
——— [Year 4931 Of The Light Calendar] Okhema was especially peaceful that year because the Flame Chasing journey was progressing smoothly.
Strife, Reason, Death, Time, one Coreflame after another was obtained.
Their former friends also inherited the Titans’ divine duties and supported heaven and earth from every corner of the world.
——— [Year 4932 of the Light Calendar] Amos received a letter sent to him by Hyacine alone.
The contents were simple…
[See you at the end of the west wind.] That same year, Amos finally entered the basics of soul techniques and learned how to cut the soul.
——— [Year 4933 of the Light Calendar] The Black Tide suddenly erupted violently and swallowed more than half of Okhema.
Although many preparations had not been completed, there was no choice but to act.
The last Tibao opened the portal leading to the Genesis Vortex.
Amos was chased everywhere by the Black Tide.
By the time he learned the news and hurried through the Century Gates, only Phainon and a small ritual sword remained inside the Genesis Vortex.
Staring at the golden blood being slowly absorbed by the little sickle, Amos suppressed the stirring in his heart.
“Why is the ritual sword in your hands?
Where is Cyrene?” Phainon opened his mouth, wanting to explain everything, but he remembered the girl’s request before she pierced her own throat with the ritual sword, and he could not speak.
“Don’t tell him, okay?” “…” Even though he had long known Cyrene’s choice, seeing the warm girl become a cold little sickle still sent a chill through Amos, as if a part of his soul had been emptied.
Silence filled the Genesis Vortex.
“She told you not to tell me, right?” Phainon nodded.
Amos said nothing more and turned around, passing through the Century Gates and returning to Okhema.
A figure that should not have appeared stood before him.
——— “Scholar Amos of the Grove of Epiphany, my name is Lycurgus, an insignificant Audience of Divine Rite.” It looked toward the Century Gates behind Amos.
“It seems that you have already entered the Genesis Vortex.
Then please allow me to ask you a question.” “From a scholar’s point of view, what do you think the Flame Chasing journey really is?” Amos looked at Lygus indifferently.
At this moment, his heart was like an ice blade.
No words could stir his emotions.
At the same time, Amos knew why Lygus had appeared.
Nothing more than suspicion caused by his actions.
Amos had already prepared for this.
“Nothing but an empty lie.
Teacher Anaxa has already revealed the truth of the world.
The Chrysos Heirs who bear the flames become the Titans of Re-Creation and enjoy endless glory.” “But…
if Re-Creation is truly so wonderful, then why does Cerces, the Titan of Reason in this life and one of the Chrysos Heirs from the previous journey, remember nothing of the past?” “So you think the Flame Chasing journey is meaningless?” “I don’t care about meaning.
I only want my Cyrene.” Amos stared coldly at Lygus, his tone mocking, “Will that answer satisfy the Senate?
And even if you get the answer, so what?
Can the Senate go to the next life too?” Lygus was silent for a moment before stepping aside.
His understanding of the Flame Chasing journey was limited to the fact that the Chrysos Heirs were the predecessors of the Titans.
His understanding of himself as an “Audience” was limited to the Senate.
He was indifferent to the truth of the world and only cared about those around him.
Amos’s answer was perfect.
But Lygus had to admit it was not the answer he most wanted to hear.
Watching Amos’s back, Lygus once again reviewed all information regarding him.
According to his personality model, Amos was a scholar-type personality whose rationality far exceeded his emotions.
Therefore, even under extreme anger, he could still maintain enough calmness to set verbal traps.
From Amos’s words just now, he seemed to have guessed part of the truth behind the Flame Chasing journey.
This was not strange.
Anaxa had also come into contact with the secret of reincarnation.
However, Amos seemed to understand the Flame Chasing journey far better than Anaxa.
After all, from the moment he left the village, Amos’s goal had always been clear.
Everything he did was for the sake of obtaining Anaxa’s soul techniques.
The soul was mysterious and strange, with many forms of manifestation.
And one of those forms happened to be called…
“Memoria.” It was made of the same substance as that mysterious land created from memories, the Lost Realm he spoke of.
If one could cut the soul into Memoria and store it in the Lost Secret Realm, then it might truly be possible to smuggle memories into the next cycle.
Could such a coincidence really be just a coincidence?
Or had the ripples left behind by past experiments remained in the Lost Realm, been discovered by Amos, and thus exposed the truth of the Flame Chasing journey?
Lygus already knew the answer.
Because inside the Genesis Vortex, Phainon had already taken on all twelve flames.
The time for Re-Creation had arrived.
But Phainon still hesitated.
He looked toward the Century Gates, seemingly searching for someone and hoping for advice.
Outside the Genesis Vortex, the entire world had already been swallowed, and all things were turning into black-red waves.
The ordinary man from the Grove stood beneath the last ray of sunlight.
He inserted his completely spiritualized left hand into his own head, and when he pulled it out, a “soul” carrying all his memories turned into a swallow and flew into the sky.
Boundless darkness made it impossible to tell directions.
But the swallow was not lost.
Because it had already engraved that place into the deepest part of its memories.
Faint light came from the tiny tree hollow.
Tender cries wove into a song that only children could hear.
The swallow flew straight inside and stopped moving, until a passing little fairy picked it up.
Lygus watched everything without making any move.
Amos had won the gamble.
Just as Titans did not care about the prayers of believers, the gods above saw the desperate efforts of mortals as nothing more than a fresh performance.
Time reversed once again.
——— [Year 4910 Of The Light Calendar] The boys and girls discovered the Lost Secret Realm and, after some exploration, made it their secret base.
The white-haired boy was chased home by his parents holding sticks.
The pink-haired girl gently said good night.
The black-haired boy returned to his room.
The smile on his face gradually disappeared, and his eyes became deeper.
He raised a hand and slowly curled it from an open palm into claws.
The surrounding air roared together and condensed into a ball of water the size of an egg.
The small trick that Anaxa had once demonstrated in class had finally been understood by Amos.
With a gentle squeeze, the water ball burst apart and flowed down between his fingers.
Amos closed his eyes.
A strange mechanical figure appeared in his mind, with a naturally formed round hole in its chest.
‘As expected of a genius.’ Lygus had probably discovered long ago that he had already seen through the truth behind the Flame Chasing journey.
But it did not matter.
Since the memories had been successfully passed on, it meant that in the eyes of those geniuses above, there had never been a place for ordinary people.
From here on, he only needed to follow the plan.
Continue studying.
Continue improving himself.
After obtaining enough power, find a way to interfere with the Flame Chasing journey.
During that journey, research the nature of the Chrysos Heirs and even the flames themselves, and seek an opportunity to reach the galaxy.
Once he reached the galaxy and gained a broader stage, perhaps he would find a way to save both Amphoreus and Cyrene…
At the age of seventeen, familiar flames rose once again in the golden village.
But this time, the warm village did not become a cold ruin.
Because the savior had appeared.