When the plot-skips players into the game world

Chapter 793: Chapter 174: Slaying from the Past to the Future Chapter 793: Chapter 174: Slaying from the Past to the Future “`

It wasn’t clear whether it was the potency of the Giant’s Heart that was sufficient, or if Arthur’s own strength was already strong enough.

Before the “Copper Pot Roasted Giant Miscellany” was finished, Arthur’s wounds had completely healed.

—His body had been shattered like cracked porcelain, and now it had been restored to its original state.

Even so, Arthur’s expression remained calm and indifferent.

He was silent when struggling, silent when charging, silent in victory, silent in pain, and still silent and as tranquil as winter after his recovery.

After he finished making his assessments and suggestions to Aiwass, he fell silent once again.

As if apart from teaching and giving advice, he normally had nothing to say.

After finishing his meal, he wiped his oil-stained mouth with his right arm.

Arthur stood up and walked to the window.

With his cold, silvery-grey pupils, Arthur gazed out of the window, watching the deluge of blood-red rain, which dyed the waters of Avalon as if rivers were pouring from the sky.

“In the future, I shall protect this land,”

suddenly, Arthur spoke, “but sometimes, I also wonder if that would be a mistake.”

He didn’t turn to look at Aiwass.

But Aiwass knew that this was not a soliloquy.

Arthur—or rather, the incarnation of the “Silver-Crowned Dragon”—was indeed speaking to him.

Aiwass didn’t respond immediately, so Arthur continued, “Promises given must be acted upon, promises acted upon must be guarded.

Authority is built on trust, and power without trust is like strength that isn’t feared.

“But if the initial direction is wrong, even a monarch should change course.

Someone must always bear the responsibility of turning, just as someone will always pay a price for deciding the direction.”

Aiwass remained silent.

Finally, Arthur turned around and looked at him.

He wasn’t looking at Sir Helquinn, but rather seemed to be looking through him, at something inside.

“You are quite good,”

Arthur said, “fit to be king of Avalon.”

“…No need for that,”

Aiwass finally spoke, “Perhaps my child might sit on the throne one day…

but not me.

I am ever the knight she loves.

“Remember: Knights do not usurp thrones.”

This was one of the maxims left by Lancelot I, the first ruler of Avalon.

“—Nor are they bound by thrones.”

Arthur followed with the second half of the maxim.

He gazed deeply at Aiwass.

Those silvery-grey pupils might remind one of a snowy winter, a frozen lake, or the silvery-grey of a sword blade.

“You still have a chance,”

Arthur said, “but there won’t be any after the wedding.

Once you make your vows, words will become shackles.”

The intent of the Silver-Crowned Dragon was clear.

Currently, Aiwass could still seize Isabel’s throne—and even he himself approved of the act.

But once Aiwass swore not to betray Isabel at their wedding, such an act would be seen as oathbreaking.

The wedding was one of the ceremonies overseen by the Candle Master, and both wedding rings and vows fell under the domain of the Silver-Crowned Dragon.

With at least two Pillar Gods as witnesses, spoken words were irreversible.

But Aiwass just shook his head, “If I truly love her, then I do not need the Candle Master’s witness at the wedding, every word is a promise.”

“…Is that so,”

Arthur fell silent for a long time, then shook his head slightly, “I do not understand what love is.”

Aiwass looked up at Arthur, somewhat astonished, and Arthur just returned the gaze calmly with an indifferent look.

“Everyone is the Eternal Self, everyone is a Serpent Father.

But not me—I only have the aspect of the Serpent Father, and am without the Eternal Self.”

“…Is your Eternal Self, perhaps, in someone else?”

Aiwass asked subconsciously.

As soon as he spoke, he felt he might have spoken out of turn—@@novelbin@@

However, fortunately for him, the Silver-Crowned Dragon was indeed apathetic and not easily angered.

Arthur didn’t seem to mind Aiwass’s disrespect and answered unexpectedly earnestly, “Correct, one does not give up without gain.

“I can offer up so much for my great cause, what are you willing to sacrifice?”

Aiwass hesitated for a moment, not immediately answering.

Arthur sighed, “Think about it well.

“—I await your return.”

The next moment, the scene before Aiwass’s eyes suddenly dissolved—

He was not inside Castening Pankault’s Pankault Sanctuary but outside it!

Aiwass was still circling the sky atop Pegasus, not yet charging towards the sanctuary.

The sanctuary was intact and did not emanate that strange ripple.

…What’s happening?

Aiwass was startled.

“Is this an Illusion Technique?”

He looked to the Night Fiend beside him.

The Night Fiend however, shook its head, “No, master.

I also have that memory…

about Arthur.”

After some contemplation, Aiwass understood, “I see…”

He remembered that at the beginning of the ascension ceremony, the Lord of Scalefeather had said: Helquinn was a natural Prophet, who could see fragments of the future in dreams.

The “Arthur” he had just seen was the “future in the eyes of Helquinn”!

Perhaps Castening had not yet perished at this moment, or maybe the Pankault couple were the current residents.

However, it was clear that Arthur hadn’t been captured and brought here yet.

It was unknown from when, but he had fallen into a premonitory illusion of the future.

Or perhaps…

This ascension ceremony was not about the Lord of Scalefeather “brutally stitching two eras together,” but rather about Helquinn being able to travel between now and the future in the form of an illusion!

In the end, he was meant to die.

“`

Just as he had foreseen, he would eventually die in Avalon and be beheaded, creating the history of the “Valley of the Beheaded.”

But his death would destroy the Giant Kingdom of Alktoth.

In other words…

While Aiwass needed to experience death in reality and complete his ascension task…

He also needed to defeat Supreme Heaven in the “future”!

This wasn’t merely Sir Helquinn’s personal history, but a history that overlaps with the Knights of the Round Table!

“…in that case, I need to finish my tasks here quickly.”

A sense of urgency arose in Aiwass’s heart.

Because he didn’t know when…

perhaps when Supreme Heaven was hooked up directly, he wouldn’t be able to complete the remaining tasks.

Just then, Aiwass’s ears twitched slightly as he heard distant shouts of rage.

—Someone was fighting!

With a thought, Aiwass had the Pegasus fly toward the commotion.

As a Dragon Knight, Helquinn should be a Transcendent of the Fifth Power Level’s peak.

Given that he was clearly over five hundred years old, he was most likely an Heir.

Perhaps it was the effect of the inheritance that enhanced his senses.

Even in the torrential rain, it was difficult for other Transcendents of the Fifth Power Level to hear the distant sounds of battle from such a distance—but Helquinn had this unique ability to “hear the cries of agony.”

It was with this strength that he saved others!

The Pegasus turned its head and quickly covered the distance of three kilometers.

It was only when Aiwass, from afar, saw the fires reaching to the heavens that he finally realized where the sounds were coming from.

It was a battle between a Lizardman Warrior who carried a heavy burden and a Giant engulfed in blazing flames.

Rather than calling it a battle, it was more of a one-sided massacre.

The Lizardman Warrior was incredibly strong—his speed surpassed that of the Great Guardian, and his agile and fierce power was born for slaughter.

Without a doubt, he was a Transcendent of the Fifth Power Level.

But there was one difference.

The Great Guardian wielded a Weapon of golden grade in his hand, while the Lizardman Warrior’s Weapon could only be referred to as “remnants.”

Under the Giant’s overwhelming flames, it stood no chance of surviving, having been burnt into a residue that couldn’t even be considered a dagger.

Meanwhile, in the Giant’s hands, a long-handled metal axe ignited with flames, and his body was also burning with blazing fire.

He looked like a giant burning straw man—his long-handled axe wielded with ease like a scythe.

As their battle raged on, the uncontrolled flames spread everywhere, creating blood mist steeped with the pungent smell amid the blood rain.

[That is Aurigen, my most trusted assistant]

A sad, hollow echo of a whisper arose from the depths of Aiwass’s heart.

As Aiwass arrived, the brownish-red Lizardman Warrior’s surprise attack was easily defended against by the Giant.

It wasn’t with martial skills—but instead, a wall of flame materialized from the air, forming a magma shield that blocked the Lizardman Warrior’s assault.

Then, a horizontal pillar of lava burst forth!

It traced a parabolic arc, blasting the Lizardman Warrior far away onto a mountain in the distance.

—Magma Reflective Shield!

Aiwass was all too familiar with this mechanism.

If one tried to attack at the wrong moment and the attack happened to be a critical hit, the Magma Reflective Shield would blast the attacker right out of the ring!

This mechanism, this appearance…

it was none other than the “Wildfire Giant” Uther Galoch!

And also the original form of Cardinal Loki!

“Be careful, Master.”

The Night Fiend became serious and positioned itself in front of Aiwass, “He is of the Sixth Power Level.”

…He’s of the Sixth Power Level?

Aiwass’s heart tightened, but then he understood—it made sense.

Given the extent of Supreme Heaven’s protectionism, if the Pope had something, his Patriarch should have it too.

“I’ll go save the person first.”

Aiwass spoke quickly.

The narration he had heard in his mind a moment ago was as sorrowful as if Aurigen had dropped dead on the spot…

but Aiwass could see clearly that at this point, Aurigen was still not dead.

That was a warrior of the Fifth Power Level!

A warrior with tough skin and strong flesh!

In the era when “warrior” classes still existed, he was undoubtedly the premier main tank!

To be merely struck by lava and flung two kilometers away to crash into a mountain…

as long as rescue was swift, he would certainly be saved!

Although this was not a part of the Transcendent Path tasks—Aiwass just couldn’t stand that tone, one that could only watch someone die and feel powerless.

Years ago, Yulia, too, was handed a death notice in such a manner.

Aiwass believed…

In another timeline, in the one where Aiwass chose to become the Archbishop, he must have also followed the path of Dedication for similar reasons.

Unlike the indoor situation with Arthur earlier, Aurigen was flung onto a mountain!

In the mountains, that also meant the presence of trees!

And the Night Fiend hadn’t even done anything but had already firmly grabbed the enmity—the Giant, though with a furious expression and crazed eyes, seemed to have a clear mind.

His gaze lingered on Aiwass only momentarily, then focused directly on the Night Fiend.

Without doing anything, the Night Fiend flew out, with hands clasped together.

Countless Shadow Hands emerged from the void around her.

Yet Uther Galoch did not assault directly.

He simply raised his arms and with a hoarse Giant’s voice shouted, “Great Supreme Heaven!

“For the death of your people’s enemies, bring down divine punishment—”

There were no rituals, no prayers, no Holy artifacts.

There wasn’t even a consumption of Mana.

Just a single shout, and the blood-red sky suddenly cracked open—

As if the clouds that the Night Fiend summoned for the blood rain were suddenly torn apart by an even greater force.

In the sky abruptly appeared a massive rift resembling an “eye,” golden-red in color.

It was like a smear of the setting sun, and also like a wound cut open so deep it reached the bone.

From the center of that “eye,” an angry glare was cast directly upon the Night Fiend.

The next moment, the sky thundered with a tremendous rumble—

From the center of the eye, countless massive meteors ablaze rained down, intent on covering the entire battlefield as they descended with a roar!