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Chapter 272: Enlightenment
🕑 Added 2025-04-28 14:10:44 +0000 UTCActing as an Aeon for a year and a half is completely different from humans. The speed of their thoughts are exaggerated. Everything a human could see in one day, they could see in a glimpse. It does not even end there for Aeons’ glance.
One look was all it takes to process thousands of years of history.
As such, Aleph had seen through far more than what others did. Time acted relative to him. He might have crossed the billionth-mark when it comes to reading through worlds’ history.
At this moment, that capability was put into use.
‘Was it wrong?’
‘I could have saved her. Reversal of time… or even time travel.’
‘I can change this world. Change that damned outcome.’
‘But so what? Doing that makes light of their experiences.’
‘Does it hold… meaning?’
His thoughts went on a rampage. His pure processing ability was further powered by Metatron’s [Thought Acceleration]. Millions of possibilities laid bare to his sight.
What if he did not disappear?
What if the evolution cube remained?
What if Mei and the others chose not to enact their corresponding plans?
What if the Cocoon’s embrace succeeded in the Previous Era?
…
The more he thought, the more estranged Aleph became. His doubts started to consume him—to consume his set of bottom lines. His morality. His personality. It constantly tempted him to throw away everything and act as he wished—to demonstrate the overwhelming power of a God.
It wasn’t even hard to begin with. His current standing and theirs are two completely different levels. If Aleph wanted to impose his paradise—the good ending—it would have taken a swipe of his hand.
Why struggle?
Why, indeed?
A dot of white light emerged out of darkness.
It is an insignificant light. Darkness threatened to drown it at any given time.
Instead of being fazed, it began to shine brighter. Its glow was as beautiful as that of a star’s end—a supernova.
Unfortunately, it could not hold on. The light was drowned out by the darkness, leaving merely its traces.
It was a useless struggle… and Aleph did nothing to save her.
He, who could have saved Mobius, chose to step back and respect her wishes.
‘...I remember.’
An event that occurred during the early days of the Current Era. Kevin and a Moribound Philosopher had a debate.
Why do birds fly?
As a realist, Kevin viewed it as a useless struggle. The ‘hero’ mentioned, Icarus, died pointlessly with his attempt to fly close to the sun. There was no logic nor rational there.
The philosopher, however, did not view it as such.
Icarus wanted to make an example out of himself; that it is possible to fly to the sun. Embracing his success by falling, it was his way of telling the world that “It is possible!”
Ironically, Mobius did the same.
Even without knowing it was a false world, she wanted to take a step further. She wanted to cling to the infinite possibilities present upon life. The discovery of the ‘real Earth’ was a surprise. Only then did she add a new meaning—to show how it was done to the real Mobius.
It constituted the life of the parallel Earth Mobius.
Was it a beautiful end? Somewhat.
Does Aleph have the heart to ruin it?
‘...No.’
It was at this moment did he understand why Aeons lost the ability to empathize with mortals. There are always people who do not fear death. The meaning of their lives lied in how they lived, not their endings. If even they wanted to disrespect these ‘notable’ people, it would contradict with their Paths.
Elation does not find any fun with torturing a dying man.
Nihility finds it pointless to even do anything to one.
Destruction does not care, for death means the destruction of body and mind.
In short, they are masters of letting things happen naturally. They did not have the time nor intent to control everyones’ fates.
It was a pointless endeavor.
They do not find any meaning in doing so.
The meaning of everything…
‘Perpetuity.’
Aleph worded his main authority. It is the one present with him since day one.
It is the manifestation of endlessness;
The proof that there is no everything in all things;
That there is no definite beginning nor end;
The image of boundless skies;
The form of man unchained from all restraints;
Such is Perpetuity.
‘To prevent tragedies… To not be trapped by limited choices. To realize all buried possibilities… I shall truly become Perpetuity.’
Click-!
The world was sent to a standstill. The realization of a celestial caused the earth to rumble.
[Achievement Obtained: Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth]
Along with the sound of achievement, a wave of indescribable light swept through the entire world.
*****
Parallel Earth.
A minute had passed since Aleph’s disappearance.
“Hm. Friends…”
Kiana could not help but think of the word ‘friends’. She is currently studying in London. An entire month passed since her father’s disappearance.
Kiana wasn’t used to school at first. She was barely homeschooled. The only saving grace was her knowledge of English. As for the rest, she is worse than an elementary student.
At her age, she should have been a middle schooler. This prompted Aleph’s intensive teaching during the first week.
Unfortunately, the crammed knowledge wasn’t enough in a formal school. Hence, Kiana sat steadily at the last place.
Since she could not even understand much of her teachers’ words—save for history and literature—she slept at the back of the class.
Three days was all it took for her homeroom teacher to call her guardian, which happened to be Aleph.
A lot of things have happened since then. Kiana remained consistent on sleeping. She barely passed her exams.
If it weren’t for Aleph’s continuous nagging, she would have flunked school during the first three months.
It was precisely due to this behavior she could not gain any friends. She either slept in class, ate alone somewhere empty, and went home when dismissal came.
An empty life, or so it was.
“Should I ask him… No, no, no. That guy’s going to make fun of me again!”
Kiana was having an elementary-schooler’s crisis when it happened.
“Huh..? Shooting stars..?”
It was not just her. Everyone was strangely attracted to the similarly strange sight above.
It was high noon. The sun is up. Its blinding rays were at its peak. Temperature was also hot. The humidity during a summer season is a cause for various hangouts—be it on the beach or resorts.
Something similar to a visible shooting star in broad daylight is hard to encounter. Barring the sun’s light, the stars themselves should not have been visible.
Yet, it was clear to everyones’ eyes.
Hum-!
Kiana winced in pain. A burning sensation appeared on her back.
“Ow!”
A flash of golden light appeared on her right eye. It appeared and left without any signs.
A faint thought could be heard from it:
“...God?”
