Otherwise, you can find another savior.

Page 449

"What are your thoughts?" Taigong Wang asked again.

"Judging from the final result, it wouldn't have been difficult for Goetia to complete the plan of burning humanity on his own. But he also prayed to God and received a response. In the end, this gave the burning of humanity the endorsement of divine authority." Shiomi lowered her eyes. "If Goetia's goal is ultimately achieved, the new world will probably exceed his expectations."

“Of course,” Taigong Wang nodded in agreement. “That will be a world where the majesty of the gods is ever-present.”

Shiomi sighed: "Don't joke around. The divine light is everlasting? Doesn't that mean the world is still under the control of the divine order? Even if it changes its appearance, even if the new humans overcome death, it's just a replay of the Age of Gods. I've already seen this kind of thing in the Olympus Lostbelt."

“It’s different.” Taigong Wang shook his head. “Olympus is the fixed phenomenon. But the world that YHWH gave to Goetia can become a new compilation of phenomena.”

“Even so…” Shiomi pursed her lips, “I could never accept that kind of ‘order’.”

Taigong Wang nodded at this moment: "Very good. Lord Tianxi is indeed the kind of person I expected. Nuwa's vision has not been in vain."

"Then, what does all this have to do with Lucifer?" tide Jian was still a little confused.

“Because it was Lucifer who initially rebelled against YHWH, intending to deny the world that had deprived humanity of its freedom,” Taigong Wang said quietly. “But unfortunately, Lucifer failed, and in the end, even his own existence was destroyed. Of course, it wasn’t all in vain. Lucifer’s desperate resistance made it impossible for YHWH to easily interfere with the human world anymore.”

tide Jian fell silent.

He was thinking.

"Could it be that Lucifer severely injured the god he once served, or..." Artoria pressed for an answer.

They all cared about it very much.

After all, it concerns the mystery of Shiomi himself.

“It can be considered a severe blow, but since it wasn’t killed, it’s not surprising that it eventually recovered,” Taigong Wang said. “The problem is that if YHWH interferes with Goetia’s plan, by the time the other gods outside the world react, the planet will have already completed its re-creation.”

The implication is that Lucifer's rebellion drew the attention of many other gods in mythology.

Even YHWH could not ignore the obstacles from other gods and carry out the re-creation.

Everything returned to the initial stalemate, and Goetia had to complete the task that the Lord had permitted on his own.

“Simply stopping Goetia is not enough. To completely negate the creation of YHWH, Goddess Nuwa used the remaining parts of Lucifer as a base to create a completely new human from clay, something that has been long forgotten.” Taigong Wang looked at Xijian. “That human is you. Goddess Nuwa hopes that you will continue Lucifer’s practices, completely negate the YHWH order, and maintain the world that belongs to humankind.”

tide Jian couldn't help but smile helplessly: "Goddess Nuwa really... deeply loves all of humanity."

“After all, she is the Earth Mother Goddess who created humankind; there’s no reason she wouldn’t love her child,” Taigong Wang said.

“However, so far, only the goddess Nuwa has appeared as a deity related to Odin’s birth and his path,” Morgan questioned. “If that’s the case, then why did Odin take these actions?”

"It wasn't just Goddess Nuwa who disagreed with what YHWH was doing," Taigong Wang continued calmly. "After Goddess Nuwa finalized this plan, she contacted the main gods of various mythologies. Some of the main gods who cared about humanity joined in, making the whole plan more solid and feasible. This included using Mooncell as a guide."

At this point, the answer is clear.

The completed plan, along with the "humans" created, was sent to Mooncell.

After extensive calculations, Mooncell accepted the result and naturally became the implementer of the plan.

"So, my being thrown into the Land of Shadows was the initial part of the whole plan?" Shiomi asked that question again.

“That’s one way to put it.” Taigong Wang thought for a moment. “As Nuwa said, the gods have different opinions on how to raise you. Odin advocates that Scáthach, who is not dead and has always existed in the Land of Shadows, should be in charge.”

“After all, I inherited the original runes and have taught countless heroes.” Scáthach spread her hands, quite proudly. “And unlike Chiron of Greek mythology, whose name was already engraved on his seat. In other words, I am actually the only one who can be the master.”

Taigong Wang laughed heartily at these words: "Hahaha! Lady Scáthach is quite witty, but she's right. In the end, there really wasn't a more suitable option. I wonder if Lady Scáthach has any objections to this?"

“Of course not.” Scáthach said in a refined manner, “Once this matter is resolved, after you return, please be sure to thank the great god Odin for me, and even more so, thank the goddess Nuwa.”

Chapter Four: Destiny (2)

For Scáthach, she no longer minds that her encounter with her beloved student was preordained.

Even if she was part of the gods' scheme, since reality suited her wishes, she naturally had no complaints.

Faced with Scáthach's request, Taiko no Mochi readily agreed to help deliver a message.

　“If that’s the case, then a lot of things make sense.” tide Jian used her shoe to poke at the trampled grass, trying to straighten it up. “YHWH knows about this, but she can’t stop it. That’s why she keeps trying to make me submit or to eliminate me.”

A new life born from the remaining power of Lucifer, shaped by Nuwa.

Even if Shiomi is unaware of it, she is still inextricably linked to Lucifer.

In YHWH's eyes, who had been severely wounded by Lucifer, this was undeniably "rebellion" and "heresy".

There are only two conclusions: subjugation and annihilation.

“To be honest, even Goddess Nuwa didn’t expect you to go to that extent.” Taigong Wang was referring to the Temple of Time. “Although it was indeed the only way to destroy the human order and burn it away, ending YHWH’s creation of the world, destroying the Ten Commandments also gave YHWH a legitimate channel to interfere in this world.”

Fortunately, even after enduring the greatest divine punishment, tide Jian did not collapse but survived.

"So who am I? Lucifer reborn, or...?"

“You are Lord Tianxi, and you know that better than anyone.” Taigong Wang shook his head. “Even if you become a god, you will not obtain any of Lucifer’s records. In the end, you and Lucifer are only connected.”

"The Demon King's son?" Shio frowned, her expression somewhat subtle.

"That depends on how you see yourself." Taigong Wang gazed at the calm river surface. "Whether you are the son of Lucifer or a child created by the Goddess Nuwa herself, it doesn't matter... Ah, you can't say that—"

At this point, Taigong Wang suddenly turned his head and stared at Xijian with a troubled look:

"—After all, you ultimately chose to become the son of Tiamat, even if it was only to remind the angry Earth Mother Goddess of her original love for humanity and to return to the slumbering expediency of the Imaginary Sea."

tide Jian broke out in a cold sweat, feeling embarrassed: "Could it be that Goddess Nuwa is very angry?"

He had no idea what kind of personalities or temperaments the gods he had never met were.

But Nuwa and Tiamat are both earth goddesses... The child created by Nuwa ended up in Tiamat's arms, which is actually quite bad.

"Would it be? I can't answer that. If Goddess Nuwa gave this instruction unintentionally, we would have no way of knowing," Taigong Wang said ambiguously, his words carrying a hint of teasing towards Xijian.

"If we ever meet the Goddess Nuwa, we'll figure out a way to explain," Morgan chuckled, gently reassuring Xi Jian. "I have a question for you, Lord Taigong Wang."

"Please speak." Taigong Wang's attitude was one of complete openness and thoroughness.

"Is my husband becoming a god also part of the plan?" Morgan asked.

“Of course. But this process is not controllable.” Taigong Wang said bluntly, “Originally, it would have been enough for a human who barely possessed the power to complete the mission. But Lord Tianxi used an unexpected method to gain an extra six thousand years for himself.”

Taigong Wang then seemed to be making fun of Xijian and Morgan. Morgan was fine, but Xijian was a little embarrassed.

After all, he had only just met Taigong Wang and wasn't that familiar with him yet.

"Therefore, it is truly a cause for celebration that Lord Tianxi has now attained godhood," Taigong Wang said with emotion. "In fact, one of the tasks I came here with was to help Lord Tianxi become a god."

Having said all that, although it was no longer necessary, tide Jian began to feel embarrassed:

"So thoughtful..."

Of course, this feeling is only fleeting.

The more favors one receives, the greater the responsibilities one must bear.

Before this, Shio felt somewhat arrogant, having only become a god by chance, yet trying to take on everything.

But now, he finally understands completely.

All of this was not accidental, but rather the inevitable result of his own will following the intertwining of expectations and choices.

It is 'fate'.

“Ah, I guess Lord Tianxi is probably thinking right now that all of this is ‘fate,’ so there’s a certain way to do things right, right?” Taigong Wang suddenly said. “My suggestion is that there’s no need to think so complicatedly. You are indeed the chosen savior, entrusted with great hopes by the gods of various mythologies to protect the human world and the existence of human history. However, that is not a reason for you to force yourself to disregard everything.”

"Huh?" tide Jian was stunned, not expecting that Taigong Wang had seen through her thoughts.

As expected of Jiang Taigong, who brought prosperity to the Zhou Dynasty for eight hundred years, his ability to see through people's hearts was unparalleled.

"Personal happiness and the fate of humanity do not need to be weighed on a scale. The right path is to do your best to protect both," said Taigong Wang.

"As Your Excellency Taigong Wang said, I will keep those words in mind." tide Jian nodded in thanks.

After speaking, tide Jian slowly got up from her seat. As if she were drunk, she staggered a few steps before regaining her balance and walked to the riverbank, gazing at the crystal-clear water.

“If there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask me anytime. I know quite a lot. After all, before we came here, not only did Goddess Nuwa give the order, but my master, Yuanshi Tianzun, also repeatedly instructed me to resolve Lord Tianxi’s questions as much as possible,” Taigong Wang said. “If you have doubts about your own existence, especially as a god, you will suffer the consequences.”

“There are indeed many questions to ask, but we also need to digest the existing information.” Shiomi put one hand on her hip. “Besides, we can’t keep wasting time here. What exactly is this strange area, and what is the Beast planning? These are equally urgent questions.”

"You're even calmer than I expected, Lord Tianxi," Taigong Wang praised. "To be honest, as the one who conveyed these facts, I was worried that you would waver and be unable to fight."

"How could I waver? Rather, I'm more determined. Being able to unravel the mystery of my origins and know that I am not without origin or foundation is enough for me." Shiomi spread her hands and answered frankly, "It's just that knowing where I came from makes me feel a great responsibility when I look at the road ahead, and that's why I feel some pressure."

He paused here, then looked back at Morgan and the other two before continuing:

"Besides, they weren't swayed by my background, so how could I be the first to waver?"

Upon hearing what Xijian said, the three of them laughed in unison.

Chapter Five: Things to Consider

Scooping up the crystal-clear water of the Tunguska River, Shiomi used it to wash the dust off her hands and face.

"It's non-toxic and can be used."

As he shook the water off his hands, he turned to Morgan and the others and said.

It took at least two hours from entering this area to arriving at the riverbank.

Especially since they hadn't even settled in yet, they were already fighting against the strange creatures that automatically attacked hostile targets. It wasn't until Nikitich led them to meet Taiko-Wang that they finally had time to sit down, rest, and adjust their exploration pace.

After testing the water and confirming that it was non-toxic, Shio told them they could rest assured.

Although they weren't so obsessed with cleanliness that they would wash their hands and faces in such a short time.

It was Shio's behavior that made them realize something subtle.

“My husband still cares about what Taigong Wang said,” Morgan said. “But since it is an undeniable fact, we can only stop thinking about it for now and accept it little by little.”

That's why they conduct river water toxicity tests that are actually completely unnecessary.

“Anyone would care in that situation.” tide Jian lowered her eyes and smiled to herself. “But don’t worry, I don’t feel any resentment or dissatisfaction.”

"That's good." Artoria nodded. "To be honest, if Tianxi can't process these facts and goes berserk, the three of us might not be able to subdue her."

She was referring to a situation similar to that of Kumano Onsen at that time.

If Shiomi really goes berserk, she will probably become an even more dangerous and terrifying out-of-control god than before.

"So you can make jokes like this now." Xi Jian held Artoria and rubbed her, teasing her with a grin. "You really are influenced by your surroundings. Spending too much time with someone like me, even a serious knight king can make embarrassing jokes."

“At least I’ll feel happy,” Morgan said.

"Hmm?" tide Jian turned her head and looked at her with a puzzled expression.

“My premonitions and guesses have truly come true.” Morgan sat on a withered tree stump, her hands resting on her crossed and upturned knees. “My husband and I are both beings born for a mission. In that respect, we are indeed a match made in heaven. No one understands us better than I do—”

“Wait a minute, if you put it that way, I was also born as the son of the Crimson Dragon in the same way,” Artoria mumbled.

Because Shio-mi was teasing her by cupping her face, and she had no intention of breaking free, her tone of voice became very cute.

“That’s true, and besides, you’re the Holy Lance Goddess, so you definitely have an advantage.” Scáthach said, her hands behind her back, admiring the scenery along the river.

After concluding the conversation with Taigong Wang, we need to rest for a while before setting off to subdue the Beast.

Taigong Wang and Nikitich waited upstream, while Shiomi and the others moved a little downstream.

From here, the riverside vegetation obscures the view, so the two people are no longer visible; one can only sense their magical reactions and presence.

That's why we can relax a bit now and joke around here.

"Master is stirring things up again," tide Jian muttered quietly.

"After all, we have nothing in common with my beloved student. We're only so inseparable because I taught her some skills." Morgan shrugged, teasing Scáthach in a lighthearted tone. "At times like this, I can only pretend to be an outsider and say something that seems objective."

“But I was my disciple’s first woman, and I also taught him how to treat women,” Scáthach said bluntly.

"stop--!"

tide Jian quickly called a halt to the bickering.

In any case, as long as the topic continues to escalate, you'll be the one who suffers in the end.

Even God has things he fears, and the present moment is the most obvious example.

His reaction made them laugh, giving tide Jian the illusion that she was being played by them again.

Of course, it can't be called an illusion.

After all, he had been manipulated and played too many times, and he was almost overwhelmed with the situation.

"Looking back, it's impossible to know whether Lucifer's rebellion was out of public interest or private motives," Morgan said, bringing up a thought he hadn't mentioned earlier.

“Perhaps it’s just following one’s own beliefs, simply to completely deny the divine order,” Shiomi offered her thoughts. “In any case, since Lucifer has perished, there’s no point in discussing the answer.”

"So, what are Tianxi's thoughts after learning all this?" Artoria grasped Xijian's hand, which had already let go. "Birth, growth, and finally ascending to the throne of God. Perhaps all of this, which was jointly set up by many gods, was just in the hope that you could protect the human world."

"—However, my beloved disciple has unknowingly acquired the power to change the world." Scáthach continued, picking up where Artoria left off. "Even if we manage to stop this act known as the rewriting of human reason, the world is destined to be destroyed in the future."