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[FTMWDK] Chapter 210: Savior
🕑 Added 2024-01-09 06:11:46 +0000 UTCEven though Arkhan was mentally prepared for it, his heart couldn't help but skip a beat upon hearing that answer.
In the Nasuverse, the existence of 'God' was not explicitly mentioned, but through some subtle clues—such as the Holy Grail and the Ring of Solomon—one could still catch a glimpse of the traces of this big shot.
According to Nasuverse's standards, the True God was probably on the same level as the transcendent cultivator in some legends. Even compared to the legendary Bodhisattvas who controlled three thousand worlds, their power wouldn't be the slightest bit inferior.
Arkhan never expected that such a big shot would quietly descend here. Was this being coming here for the Holy Grail?
"I have no interest in the Holy Grail."
As if seeing through Arkhan's thoughts, God said casually.
"I've come here to fulfill the contract we made before."
"Contract? What contract?" Arkhan looked bewildered; he couldn't remember making any contract with God.
"A despicable thief forcibly stole the power of my vessel. Though it was just a provocation from a mere ant, it displeased me greatly. So, I chose you to help me reclaim my vessel. That's the content of our contract."
God spoke calmly, his eyes reflecting endless chaos, with countless worlds shattering and reorganizing within them.
It dawned on Arkhan that God was referring to Vortigern and the Holy Grail situation.
Vortigern had obtained the Holy Grail, but he didn't gain its acknowledgment. He used magecraft to forcefully link himself with the Holy Grail, granting him the qualification to use it.
It was like someone accidentally losing their phone, and another person finding it. However, because the phone had a password, the finder couldn't use it. So, they hired a hacker to crack it and started using the phone themselves.
For the owner, this was surely an intolerable situation.
Hence, God chose Arkhan to retrieve the Holy Grail.
"May I ask when this contract was made?" Arkhan inquired with frowned brows.
"The contract was established since you left the Land of Shadows." God replied indifferently.
"That early?"
Arkhan expressed some surprise, then after a moment of contemplation, he asked.
"So, is that why you gave 'Revelation' to Archbishop Canterbury and had him stand on my side all this time?"
God remained silent, evidently confirming his statement.
After Arkhan pulled out Caliburn, before revealing his true origin, Canterbury always showed immense trust in him, even saying it was a 'Revelation' from God that he was the 'Chosen One'.
At that time, Arkhan was puzzled, not understanding why God would give such a revelation.
It wasn't until now that he finally learned the truth—since that time, he had already been under the watchful eye of this being.
"But why don't you take action yourself?" Arkhan asked, puzzled.
"... Everything in the world has its fate, from the beginning to the end, from bloom to decay. These are all predetermined things. But at my position, if I casually interfere, it's easy to deviate these things from their original trajectory, even leading them towards the abyss of destruction."
God explained with a calm and serene tone.
Arkhan's expression became somewhat strange. Although these words seemed reasonable at first, upon closer inspection, wasn't this just an excuse to slack off?
'Truly deserving of the title of a slacker on par with the cultivators, sitting all days for eons...' Arkhan silently quipped in his mind.
"So, why did you choose me?" Arkhan asked the crucial question.
"Because you are special, of course." God said with a slight smile. "A visitor from a different dimension."
As if a thunderbolt exploded in his mind, Arkhan couldn't help but step back, his pupils shrinking to pinprick size.
He had always had two biggest secrets—Divine Keys and the experience of reincarnation. About these two secrets, he had never mentioned anything to anyone, not even to his closest family, friends, or wife.
And now, this inexplicable being had just revealed his biggest secrets with a single breath.
How could he not be shocked?
After a long time, Arkhan gradually returned to his senses, recalling God's words. Suddenly, he noticed a problem.
"You just said... different dimension? Why not a different world?"
"You might think they're the same, but worlds and dimensions are two different concepts. One dimension can encompass countless worlds, and different dimensions have different fundamental rules. It's like in our dimension, the fundamental rule is 'Magic', which also has another name, which is the 'Root'." God patiently explained.
'The Root...' Arkhan's heart trembled. In Nasuverse, the Root was an unparalleled and absolute power, representing the origin of everything.
This power was so mighty that it couldn't be described by the ceiling; a backdrop was more appropriate.
"As long as it's the same set of fundamental rules covering different worlds, even if their development trajectories are vastly different, they can only be called different worlds or parallel worlds. But if they have different fundamental rules, even if the development trajectory is exactly the same, they're undoubtedly different dimensions."
God observed Arkhan's expression and continued.
"I can tell that the world you were in before and the current world don't share the same fundamental rule, including those strange weapons on you; they should also be creations of a different fundamental rule."
Arkhan nodded thoughtfully.
According to God's explanation, worlds with different fundamental rules were, in essence, different dimensions. If the fundamental rule of Nasuverse was the 'Root', then the fundamental rule of Honkaiverse should be the 'Honkai'.
'Now, all my secrets are laid bare...' Arkhan sighed inwardly with a bitter smile.
"For beings wielding certain special abilities, casually traversing between parallel worlds won't face any repercussions. After all, these worlds operate under the same fundamental rule, allowing them to adapt seamlessly anywhere."
"However, traversing between dimensions is different. The barriers between them are so robust that even a successful leap will be targeted and annihilated by the other dimension's fundamental rule. Moreover, our powers are naturally tied to the corresponding rules. Once in the different dimension, we become rootless drifters. Even I would struggle to survive in such circumstances."
'Even God cannot enter other dimensions...' Arkhan furrowed his brow slightly. "Then why am I standing here perfectly fine?"
"I don't know." God replied nonchalantly.
"..." Arkhan stared at God in disbelief. "Aren't you supposed to be omniscient and omnipotent?"
God remained unruffled and continued to explain.
"The concept of being omniscient and omnipotent is always relative. There was once a half-human, half-god on this planet with such abilities, but only limited to this world. Anything beyond this world was invisible to him."
"Similarly, my omniscience and omnipotence are limited to this dimension. I'm clueless about anything beyond this dimension."
"Will there be a day when the Root suddenly targets me?" Arkhan asked with a hint of unease. He doubted he could survive the Root's onslaught with his current strength.
"When did you start thinking you weren't targeted by the Root?" God calmly stated.
"!!!"
Arkhan's hair stood on end instantly, a strong chill engulfing him. He felt as if the entire world hated him.
"Don't be so nervous. The Root won't easily lay a hand on you. You fear it, and it fears you." God smirked.
Arkhan was taken aback and then began to ponder.
"Is it because of the dimension behind me?"
God nodded slightly.
"For reasons even I am unclear about, the Root seems to have missed the best opportunity to eliminate you. It led to you establishing a stable connection with this dimension. This means that the dimension behind you might use you as a bridge to invade this one."
"No one knows what triggered this, so you don't need to worry about the Root targeting you unless it's prepared for all-out war."
"At the same time, as a precaution, the Root blocked the connection between your weapons and the dimension behind you, making them appear compatible with the fundamental rule of this dimension. I believe you've already noticed this."
Arkhan suddenly realized. No wonder his Divine Keys relied on magical energy and not honkai energy; the Root had subtly manipulated things for him.
"What would happen if this blockade is lifted?" Arkhan inquired.
"It's hard to say. It depends mainly on the power balance between the two dimensions. Regardless of who wins, I reckon there won't be much of the world left." God replied indifferently.
Arkhan's heart sank. He thought he was shouldering only Britain's fate, but now he realized the life and death of many worlds rested on his shoulders.
"Actually, if you need it, I can help you lift this blockade. Consider it a reward for the contract." God smirked.
Arkhan furrowed his brow slightly.
"Didn't you just say..."
"Ahh... yes, the consequences are indeed severe, but it's also an opportunity for Britain to continue." God looked meaningfully at Arkhan.
Arkhan's breath suddenly quickened, his eyes widening a bit.
"You mean... You can let Britain continue to survive?"
"You're the only one who has successfully crossed dimensions. The dimension behind you needs your consent to invade this dimension. That means you can use it as leverage, make a deal with the dimension behind you, make it save this world, and let Britain continue. It's just a small matter for the fundamental rule." God explained calmly, his chaotic eyes fixed on Arkhan.
Arkhan lowered his head, a struggle evident in his eyes.
'Agree... They're worlds you've never known. Even if they're destroyed, it's their bad luck. You haven't set foot in those worlds anyway, so why flood yourself with useless sympathy?'
'Agree... Think of Nidhogg, Lily, Mother, Big Sis, think of everyone, think of this kingdom you've built. Do you really intend to watch it plunge into the abyss of destruction?'
'Agree... After all, you're not the one taking action in the end. You don't have to bear those heavy sins, right?'
'Agree... Agree... Agree...'
Veins bulged on Arkhan's temple, his face contorting slightly, and he growled.
'Shut up!'
He used the power of Fenghuang Down, clearing his mind of all distractions. He took a deep breath and looked at God.
"While your tempting reward might be alluring, I can't forget that my very being is still human. We need a conscience, basic principles, and a clear sense of right and wrong. I can't sacrifice other worlds just to save my own; it goes against my principles, and I can't bear the disappointment my family, friends, and everyone close to me would have in me if I did that."
Looking into those clear black eyes, God calmly spoke.
"Are you sure you won't reconsider? This is one of your few remaining chances. This is a reminder from 'God'."
"No need to consider. I refuse." Arkhan answered firmly without hesitation.
"..."
After a moment of silence, God chuckled lightly and sighed.
"Human..."
After muttered that word, God raised his palm, and the Holy Grail on the altar beside him suddenly emitted a bright light, shining on Arkhan.
Arkhan felt an unknown force entering his body, and at the same time, a special concept suddenly appeared in his mind.
[Savior: E]
"What is this..." Arkhan hesitated for a moment as he saw what concept it was.
"Since you're unwilling to break the rules and unable to create them, try modifying them. I've provided you with the concept of the 'Savior'."
"From now on, the more world crises you resolve, the deeper and stronger this concept will become. When it reaches 'EX', you will possess some of the Savior's true power and authority, earning the recognition of the rules."
"At that point, you can use the Holy Grail to change Britain's fate."
"It's destined to be a difficult path. I hope you can persevere, child. I'll be waiting for you at the end of this road."
After explaining, God, who possessed Canterbury's body, let out a warm smile.
Comments
Gilgamos
Thanks for the chapter
