“Yes, he was my dad.”
‘I see.’
Angel’s voice was bitter.
It had not expected a God to be present on a backward planet like Earth, let alone a 5th-stage God.
‘Honestly, seeing your dad freaked me out back then.’
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‘We would’ve needed our main forces to take out a 5th-stage God, but I was just a scout.’
‘Of course, I got scared.’
Angels like Velkaria were scouts who conquered weaker planets.
If they found a stronger planet, they would retreat and bring the information to the main forces.
The Outer God Azthulon would then send its army and wage a war.
The mere memory of encountering Hades was the biggest shock the Angel, Velkaria, could’ve expected.
“Then how was Dad… defeated?”
‘World Core.’
The Angel’s voice echoed.
‘I was summoned directly inside the World Core.’
‘Since I corrupted the World Core as soon as I arrived, everyone lost their main unit of energy source. Even your Dad was no different.’
The Angel explained.
‘Only Worlds have their own energy source.’
‘Its residents, even Gods and angels, have their Cores linked to the World Core.’
‘If World Core is damaged to the point it can’t generate energy anymore, the world’s residents would lose their energy too.’
‘I was lucky that….’
The Angel coughed when it noticed Neo’s glare.
It changed its wording, lest it angered him further.
‘After I corrupted the World Core, there was no way anyone could defeat me. Not even a 5th-stage God.’
Velkaria added,
‘That’s why people like you are feared by everyone.’
‘Ascenders have their own energy core. They aren’t connected to their World Core after they ascend.’
‘Even the strongest gods can be defeated if their world’s World Core is damaged.’
‘However, Ascenders are not bound by such laws.’
There was something else the Angel did not explain.
A reason that sent shivers down its spine despite its pride.
There was a reason why Ascenders were called Heavenbreakers.
“So that’s why Dad lost.” Neo nodded.
After finding out the answer, Neo decided to link his consciousness back with the ball of Intent.
He had kept the link half-completed while he was conversing with the Angel and focusing on the ‘present’.
It made him lose his focus, and a lot of time went by in the ‘past.’
Neo knew this would’ve happened.
However, he had to do it for the knowledge required to upgrade the World Time Spell.
Neo sat cross-legged on the ground.
He closed his eyes, prepared to complete the link, when he suddenly heard the Angel’s voice.
‘You can do it, right? Save me.’
“Yes.”
His words lacked credibility when one-fourth of his body had crumbled away, exposing his bones and flesh.
But Valkaria had no choice but to believe in him..
Or both of them would be erased at the hands of Time.
Neo ignored Valkaria’s gaze and focused inwards.
Connecting present and past wasn’t easy.
The ball of Intent—System—he left with Daniel had inbuilt instructions to work.
It could function independently, much like Neo’s Intent Clone.
However, it was better to take control himself.
Although Professor Daniel’s presence ensured Neo had managed to save the world, it didn’t mean Neo could relax.
He had learned from his mistakes.
Being careless could cause errors, and the guaranteed past might twist into a nightmare.
When Neo connected with the Intent, he noticed the young Daniel taking a swing from the alcohol bottle.
He was sitting on top of the ledge of a skyscraper, his legs dangling over the edge.
The city below sprawled endlessly.
Far from Daniel’s location, Neo could see Typhaon fighting against Awakeners.
The sky was covered in flashes of light as energy blasts clashed mid-air.
Giant icicles and roaring flames erupted like elemental storms.
Once again, Typhaon had awakened.
“73 times, I’ve regressed. 73 times, and—hic, I hic, still can’t defeat that monster.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
The scent of spilled alcohol hung heavy in the air.
His face was flushed, and his breath reeked of liquor.
“And now you’re telling me even if I defeat it, there’s a greater threat coming?”
Daniel’s bloodshot eyes were locked onto the quest window hovering in front of him.
[Quest: Odyssey]
[Defeating Typhaon is not the end but a step forward in your journey. Typhaon’s defeat will be followed by an stronger enemy, one capable of destroying the world, to come to Earth. Even the World Time Spell won’t save you from this enemy’s presence.]
[Quest Details: Search for a mana source (not Earth’s World Core) to power up World Time Spell.]
[Reward: Upgraded World Time Spell (Will work even in the presence of the new enemy).]
Daniel didn’t spare a glance at the reward.
He only reread the quest description.
“Why the hell am I fighting? If this world is so fragile that even 70 regressions can’t save it, then let it be destroyed.”
He laughed but his eyes were hollow.
Seventy-three regressions. Six hundred years.
Daniel had done everything to save the world.
He had watched his loved ones die countless times.
And now, he was finding out this was just the beginning.
“I—hic! don’t care anymore.”
He tilted his head back and continued to chug the alcohol.
The burning sensation did little to dull the ache in his chest.
Neo, who had been silently watching, felt his blood run cold.
The despair in Daniel’s voice was palpable.
If Neo had appeared any later, Daniel might’ve done something irreversible—like killing himself without activating the World Time Spell.
[Host.]
The System’s voice echoed in Daniel’s mind.
“Oh? It’s been a long time since you—hic! talked to me.”
Daniel let out a dry smile.
His legs dangled off the edge of the desk, swaying slightly as the alcohol worked through his system.
His grip loosened on the glass, letting it clink against the wood.
“What is it?”
[You asked why you had to save the world.]
[Since when was your goal saving the world?]
[It was to save your sister.]
His breath caught.
“She’s already a monster under Typhaon. She can’t be saved anymore.”
Daniel laughed at his own pathetic response, shaking his head as if mocking himself.
[You knew this since long ago. Isn’t that why you vowed to kill Typhaon?]
[Are you giving up?]
“Yes, I am giving up—”
[Are you going to spare the one who killed your sister?]