Ace held a cream-filled potato roll in her right hand and a small cup of milk tea in her left, savoring each bite and sip.
"Delicious!"
"Truly delicious!"
She beamed with joy, her face radiating the innocent smile of a child tasting something delightful for the first time.
But Barro dared not be careless, having once sensed the extreme malice emanating from this 'girl.'
Evil!
Chaos!
These are Ace's true nature.
"Looks like I am the real Child of Destiny." Ace slowly said, licking the cream from her lips:
"Although I don't believe in destiny, being the first to revive in this era means possessing everything."
"Hmm..."
She took another bite of the potato roll, enjoying it immensely:
"Although the bodies of mortals are weak, their minds are full of imagination; I never tasted anything this good back then."
"Take your time." Barro smiled, ordering more snacks to fill the table:
"We're not in a hurry."
He subtly moved his feet, gently rubbing them on the ground.
This was a means of leaving messages essential for the Nightwatcher, undetectable by energy fluctuations but perceptible to the organization.
Ace seemed unaware of his small gesture, continuing to savor her treat with a cheerful burp.
"Comfortable!"
"All those years trapped were worth it."
"This continent modified by those Gods now conveniently benefits me."
"Hmm..."
As if recalling something, she knocked on the table, and a paper filled with text materialized before her.
"Little fellow."
She looked at Barro:
"Read what's on the paper."
"...Alright." Barro expressionlessly picked up the paper, reluctantly reading aloud:
"Source of chaos, fountain of desire, master of life and death cycle..."
Hmm?
Why does this sound so familiar?
It feels like Professor Karl once had me read something similar.
These are the Divine Names of the Ancient God Ace, so what did Professor Karl have me read?
Barro felt uneasy, oblivious to Ace's expression turning colder and her face becoming grim.
"Enough!"
Her voice turned stern:
"So damnable!"
"Uh..." Barro paused:
"What's wrong?"
"That Human Clan emperor not only indirectly caused the death of the Gods by ingesting the God Slaying Spear but also modified you Humans, making the creatures on this continent lethargic towards faith, making it hard for Divines to receive it." Ancient God Ace's voice was icy:
"What a skillful method!"
"To alter all creatures, no wonder he could kill the Gods, that man is evidently not ordinary."
Without faith, for Divines, it's like having no power source, never able to grow.
However...
"It doesn't matter!"
Ace chuckled softly, her voice cold:
"We can start again; throughout the history of the Gods, world-ending calamities occur periodically."
If she could acquire the Divine Power left by the six Upper Gods, she would rise to the continent's pinnacle.
By then,
Causing an apocalypse and creating a new Human Clan would be nothing for a Sixth Tier Peak powerhouse.
Moreover,
If everything goes well, she might ascend to the Seventh Tier.
"What a cute little girl."
A street vendor somehow appeared before them, greeting Ace warmly:
"Can I take a photo?"
"A photo?" Ace raised an eyebrow.
"Yes." The vendor smiled:
"My child has always refused to have children, saying they're too troublesome. I want him to see there are delightful kids like you."
"Perhaps when he sees you, he'll change his mind."
"No need." Barro hurriedly stood, waving his hand:
"Carry on with your business."
"No." Ace set down her food:
"Let's do it."
Barro's movements stiffened.
The vendor cast a peculiar glance at them; in his eyes, Barro should be the girl's father or at least an uncle, unsuspecting that the decision-maker was the little girl.
"Alright then."
After a moment of hesitation, the vendor took out a camera, finding a suitable angle to photograph Ace.
"Click!"
It was an instant camera, with the photo sliding out from below.
The vendor caught the photo and looked down, only to be stunned; there was no little girl in the photo, only...
"Uh..."
"Bang!"
The vendor's body shook, suddenly shattering into a spray of blood, as if a high explosive had been activated within.
No mortal can gaze upon a God!
"Ah!"
"What's happening?"
"..."
On the busy street, such a scene suddenly unfolded, inciting panic screams from passersby.
"Why are you screaming?"
Ace bellowed:
"All of you, die!"
"Die!"
With the word "die," the scene abruptly turned silent, followed by figures dropping to the ground one after another without a sound.
"You!"
Barro's face went pale, glaring angrily at Ace:
"Why?"
"Because it's interesting."
Ace jumped off her chair, strolling amongst the corpses with her hands behind her back:
"Humans, apart from offering faith to the Gods, serve only as playthings."
"This is satisfying!"
"..." Barro's body trembled, staring at the corpses in profound helplessness, finally sighing deeply and following.
"Did you kill Blaze, Monica?"
"Of course not." Ace shook her head with a smile:
"I swore a Curse, but Monica, being Bloodline and the Divine's nemesis, shouldn't be easily dismissed."
"They are in a chaotic, twisted place free from survival concerns."
"Hmm?"
Ace frowned:
"Did I do something wrong?"
"Never mind."
"It doesn't matter!"
With her current power, in a time when the Gods had already fallen, there was nothing that could threaten her.
...
The world within the scroll.
Because the sealing occurred at the core of a battle between two Divines and was casually enshrouded by Ace with an ancient, lost Barrier, it caused the time flow inside to differ from the outside.
Blaze and Monica chopped down trees, building a wooden cabin in the forest, not far from a creek.
Fish swam in the creek, animals roamed in the forest, and fruits abounded on trees, freeing them from worry over food and drink.
The two lay on homemade rocking chairs, leisurely gazing at the sky.
"Unrestrained, carefree days..."
Monica laughed:
"Actually, it's not bad."
"Yes." Blaze nodded:
"I'd prefer living here indefinitely; though monotonous, it's fulfilling."
"Beloved." Monica touched her slightly rounded belly:
"I've gained weight recently."
"Maybe you're pregnant." Blaze nodded as he turned his head:
"Only the belly grew?"
"I can't be pregnant." Monica shook her head:
"We've been Cursed by the Gods; we can never bear children. Our ancestors tried everything, but could only give birth to lower Bloodline, the kind that can't see the sun—Vampires."
"Is that so?" Blaze didn't mind:
"Perhaps there'll be surprises; I eagerly await the birth of our child."
*
*
*
The academy.
"Ace."
Barro's expression was grim:
"Why come here?"
Watching the bustling students, their vibrant faces suddenly painted with a layer of dark deathly aura.
If something happens here...
Barro's heart couldn't help but skip.
"I may not like Wizards, but I do agree with one thing they say." Ace licked a lollipop:
"Knowledge is power!"
"I've been locked up for too long, even though I devoured the Praise and learned some things from his memories, too much was missed."
"Coming here just nicely fills in the gaps."
As they spoke.
The two had already entered the library.
It was class time, so the library was sparse, and even more deserted on the third-floor literature and history section.
"Barro."
A familiar voice rang:
"Why did you come here?"
"Professor Karl!"
Barro turned back, immediately signaling with his eyes:
"I'm here on business. Carry on, Professor."
