Clang~ As the two swords clashed, Shard instinctively raised his hand to parry and counter, executing a perfect riposte. But the Diviner seed to have anticipated the trajectory of the longsword in Shard’s hand, and after his own blade was deflected, he swiftly regained his balance. With his empty left hand, he grabbed the blade of the Night Watchman, while his right longsword directly thrust towards Shard’s throat.
Shard quickly twisted his wrist, maneuvering the sharp Night Watchman blade to cut off half of the opponent’s hand. At the sa ti, he dodged the path of the longsword thrust by the Diviner and then stabbed towards the opponent’s heart.
Shard’s thrust was precise and fierce, accurately hitting the target and penetrating the opponent’s chest. However, he wasn’t able to completely avoid the Diviner’s sword, as it eventually grazed his cheek, leaving a bloody mark.
Just a mont ago, Shard clearly felt that his movent was sufficient to dodge the attack, but the Diviner moved his weapon’s direction while Shard dodged. As a result, it seed as if Shard deliberately moved his body to collide with the opponent’s weapon.
With that, the five minutes ca to an end, and the Night Watchman was withdrawn from the Diviner’s chest, as both took two steps back.
Shard wiped his cheek, looking at the blood on his fingers, and then asked his opponent:
"That final thrust was quite strange. Did you foresee that I would definitely dodge, or did you imbue your attack with a ’must hit’ fate?"
Nadia Folan had warned Shard that her ancestor possessed powerful foresight abilities in battle. Yet, Shard was more inclined to believe that the previous thrust was influenced by fate.
The Diviner did not reply. Instead, he lowered his sword, letting the tip touch the floor. The longsword’s side, stained with a bit of Shard’s blood, was absorbed by the roots that ford the carpet:
"I have obtained your blood, and you will also receive an invitation to the banquet."
A person erged from the crowd, bringing an invitation to Shard’s side. The invitation was identical in design to the one gan and her group received.
Shard frowned slightly:
"Did you create this manor here just for my blood?"
He wasn’t angry, nor did he regret choosing to duel, instead, he proactively asked:
"May I know why you need my blood? I’m quite certain that I am not part of your family."
The Diviner was willing to answer:
"My divination told that this ritual would greatly increase its success rate if it had your blood."
"But this would also give the chance to intervene in this ritual, even replace you as the Ritual Core."
Shard said, and the Diviner, wearing a monocle, smiled slightly:
"Rember? My goal is not to win over soone or defeat anyone. I am rely exploring a possibility. If the ritual can succeed in your hands, it would be a good thing... Of course, as long as I haven’t seen a possibility of my own failure, I still prefer to be the one to complete it."
He removed his hat and bowed slightly to Shard:
"The Edwards Family Banquet will be held in fifteen minutes. God Summoner, I sincerely invite you to attend, as a companion to my descendants, gan & Audrey Edwards. You will also witness the final conclusion of our family."
Shard avoided his bow:
"Fifteen minutes? Your timing is quite precise. Now answer , what exactly is going on with Lecia and Dorothy?"
The Diviner raised his hand in the air, and a pair of butterflies fluttered and transford into light particles:
"Rember? You and I both know the world is heading toward destruction. Based on calculations of the long duration of the First Era, I ntioned at our last eting that from the First Era onward, all ages have already been apocalyptic ages.
The Ancient Gods departed successively during the First Era and Second Era, using themselves to support the world on the verge of collapse."
Shard pursed his lips at this conjecture, one he too had considered. The Diviner continued to watch Shard, his gaze seemingly a bit moist, as if he were in sorrow:
"If that weren’t the case, why does the combined ti from the Second Era to now not even equal the duration of the First Era? If not, why has the scale of Supernatural Power and the Material World weakened and shrunk generation by generation? The departure of the Ancient Gods in the Second Era, the Third Era’s evil spirit demons like leaks in the world, the chaotic Dark Age that disrupted all civilizations in the Fourth Era, the Fifth Era foolish yet terrifying Witch Era where only witches wielded supernatural abilities... Were these eras truly right?"
He winked at Shard, though truthfully, this gesture lacked any playfulness unless perford by young ladies:
"No, God Summoner, now you should reach that conclusion as well— the Apocalypse has long arrived, it’s just been endlessly postponed by generation after generation. Thirteen Ancient Gods took the first step, and now, it’s our last step."
He dropped his longsword and placed his right hand on his chest:
"But the decline of the world is an unstoppable process. In our era, the world has finally slid to the edge of the cliff. The end of everything, the apocalypse of all things, the end corresponding to the beginning, can no longer be postponed by any ans."
"I understand what you are saying. I appreciate your analysis here, but what does this have to do with our topic, with Dorothy Louisa and Lecia Cavendish? You’re not telling they are the thod to stop the apocalypse, are you?"
Shard asked back, and the Diviner shook his head, similarly asking:
"Since humans and other intelligent beings can save themselves, why can’t the world itself save itself? Just as when a crisis occurs, fate always chooses destined heroes to give people a second chance. When the world encounters a crisis, fate still chooses so special people, assigning them special responsibilities."
He paused, and the two looked at each other. Shard t the Diviner’s eyes and suddenly had a terrifying guess.
"God Summoner, you should be able to tell that the magical soul connection between Lecia Cavendish and Dorothy Louisa was definitely not caused by any external force, but rather a...
"Natural phenonon."
Shard said, as Laplace Howard smiled:
"Yes, you understood. Actually, you’re just one step of imagination away from the truth. It’s not your insight that blinds you; rather, you’re refusing to guess so. You’re rejecting that answer. I can give you a hint, and if you still can’t figure it out, I can unravel the answer for you at the banquet later. No, you can definitely think of it."
He put away his smile and asked quite seriously:
"Two ladies existing as separate individuals in the world, initially swapping souls, then gradually converging soul to soul, finally becoming a single entity.
If their abilities can be inherited, or if their abilities appear more frequently as a natural phenonon and human talent in the corners of the world after their generation, what will happen after a long ti?"
Seeing Shard’s increasingly unpleasant expression, the Diviner knew he understood:
"I’ve noticed that their nas contain words associated with ’Savior’. This might be part of the world’s fate revelation, or civilization is finding a way for itself. They are indeed saviors; they are a beginning, a validation of feasibility.
This requires a long ti, but if there really is such ti, there will co a day when all intelligent beings can interchange souls, all souls becoming just one soul. When the apocalypse arrives, no matter what choice life makes, it’s a choice and struggle that gathers all of civilization’s power."
More than one person had told Shard that the words of the person before him could not be trusted. Once you believe his words, it’s tantamount to falling into his trap. But at this mont, Shard couldn’t voice doubts because he knew the other was not lying.
Shard said:
"Are they the world’s chosen path?"
The Diviner nodded:
"Imagine if the world truly turned into such a future, how would it then be interesting and great? Civilization fighting against the apocalypse, all wisdom and power in the world becoming one. As long as one person is saved, the world is saved. And if the rumored Sanctuary..."
He shook his head:
"Of course, you can doubt my words, but if you understood what the ’Whispering Verses’ truly ant, if you understood what the Thirteen Chosen One Ceremony represents, you would know I’m not lying."
"You don’t need to explain. Although we are enemies, I also have my judgnt ability. Even if we are to have a great fight later, it doesn’t prevent from being thankful to you now."
The Diviner smiled:
"You are indeed suitable for being a friend, unfortunately... the destruction of the world has been destined since its birth.
The Ancient Gods foresaw this day long ago and left a last refuge for mortals. But that refuge is destined not to accommodate everyone. If my interpretation of the ’Whispering Verses’ is not wrong, in the end, even if the Thirteen Chosen One Ceremony successfully reaches its end, only a portion of people can survive the apocalypse."
"Are all these speculations?"
"So disorganized evidence exists. My main research is Edwards’ Ascension Technique, and their ergence has provided with many interesting ideas and thoughts. If the material world’s intelligent beings still retain thousands of physical shells, but all souls are rged into one, doesn’t that equivalent to all being saved?"
He smiled and said:
"Civilization has not thus interrupted; the inherited knowledge, history, and those secret stories will continue to circulate. This is my interpretation of Lecia Cavendish and Dorothy Louisa; they are the beginning of so ’contagion’, a path autonomously chosen by the world and fate before the apocalypse for the nurous civilizations prolonged through six Eras... one of them.
They need not do anything but live peacefully, letting their souls gradually converge until they rge into one, and this is the greatest contribution they can make to this world. If civilization is truly saved thereby, they are the ’Mother of All Things’, they are the earliest origin of all souls. The title of Savior is insufficient to highlight their status. They are all, they are one."
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