Chapter 145: Shaya, Starting the Speedrun (Two-in-one)
Holy Calendar Year 1, Escarnia.
Beneath the sky, upon the earth.
The pitch-black undead metal transformed into flowing liquid.
In Shaya’s eyes, the runes that alchemy matrices turned into were slowly rotating.
Alchemy spells were cast upon this flowing undead metal, and then, under Yui’s control, they converged beneath Shaya into one pitch-black metal platform after another.
These pitch-black metal platforms suspended themselves in the void. Whenever Shaya lifted his foot, the platform behind him would dissipate into scattered particles, reforming into a new step in front of Shaya.
Metal steps generated one after another in the void.
And so, Shaya trod upon these steps, walking towards the night sky step by step.
Amidst the starry night, a hazy city faintly appeared in the ocean formed by converging stars.
“This is… the Thousand Year City that Escarnia speaks of?”
Shaya’s steps were unhurried, yet his speed was not slow at all.
It could only be said that his choice of Yui for his Fifth Soul Pact was truly a correct one.
The ability to control liquid undead metal using alchemy matrices had, to a great extent, compensated for Shaya’s previous shortcomings.
It had truly achieved high mobility combat capabilities across sea, land, and air.
Let alone in the sky, after Shaya had imported the blueprints for submersible vehicles to Yui, it wouldn’t be entirely impossible for him to explore the deepest parts of the ocean one day.
Shaya mused to himself as the roaring storm at high altitude buffeted his face, causing his black hair to become somewhat disheveled.
However, his steps remained unchanged, resolutely moving towards the city shrouded in the night.
Conquering the final act of the Historical Echo was by no means an easy feat.
According to the system’s description, the Historical Echo of the “Ancient Azure Court” was merely a beginner’s quest. Yet, even with thorough preparation, the final battle against Norton, or rather, the twilight demigod possessing Norton’s body, had left Shaya completely drained, causing him to fall unconscious for three full days.
And this time, Escarnia was even more extraordinary.
In just the previous two entries, the enemies had already progressed from Norton, who barely reached the Titled level with divine enhancement, to genuine Legendaries, and even more than one.
Not to mention the historical effects triggered by Shaya’s actions.
This Historical Echo had completely deviated from its original course.
The True God of the Abyss, “Crimson Moon,” and Isadorella, whose divinity now outweighed her humanity… might both stand in opposition to Shaya.
Shaya’s purpose for this journey was no longer simply to complete the system’s mission, but to correct the erroneous history.
Simultaneously, he intended to safely return Isadorella, who had become the Queen of the Imaginary Domain, to her correct historical timeline.
This was an immensely difficult, even nigh impossible, task.
Fortunately, Shaya’s greatest advantage was intelligence.
If the original Historical Echo of Escarnia had been shrouded in historical mist, making it difficult for Shaya to discern the truth, then at this very moment, after obtaining the Holy Grail of Knowledge.
For Shaya, the historical mist from a thousand years ago had dissolved like clouds.
Before re-entering the Historical Echo, Shaya had spent several full weeks in a hotel room in the Arcane City of Lokiia, continuously inquiring of the Holy Grail of Knowledge.
He had meticulously grasped all information and intelligence concerning Escarnia a thousand years ago.
Then, with Yui’s computational assistance, this information had undergone millions of deductions and simulations in Shaya’s mind.
Ultimately, from the millions of Bad End routes that could only lead to a devastating conclusion, he had filtered out the single correct path leading to the “Happy End.”
And what Shaya needed to do at this moment—
“Is to… speedrun the Historical Echo called Escarnia.”
…
Shaya’s steps were steady, but his speed was not at all slow.
Originally, this eternal night sky city was merely a hazy silhouette above the clouds.
But soon, the outline of the Thousand Year City gradually became clearly visible.
Shaya leaped down gently, stabilizing himself on the rubble surrounding the floating city. The runes of the alchemy matrix in his eyes slowly rotated, dissipating the pitch-black undead metal “Dragon-Snake Mercury” behind him and retracting it into his “Spatial Pocket.”
*Clack.*
*Clack.*
Shaya traversed among the giant shattered rocks on the outskirts of the Sleepless City, occasionally leaping, as if walking through an asteroid belt in the universe.
After a moment, those giant floating shattered rocks disappeared, replaced by a massive and magnificent bronze gate.
This was the gate of the Sleepless City.
Through the gate, one could see the faintly visible palatial complex lying behind it.
And with Shaya’s arrival.
From the bronze gate within the floating palace, a creaking sound was heard.
Then, it slowly swiveled open to the side.
It was evident that the owner of this Thousand Year City had already detected Shaya’s arrival.
Shaya was not surprised by this, calmly accepting the other party’s invitation and walking step by step into the palace of the night.
…
Given the style of the pitch-black palace outside, it would not be out of place to find rows of heavily armored guards inside, a majestic throne, and a dignified palace master seated upon it.
However, as Shaya rounded a corner, the scene before him suddenly brightened.
What appeared was a stretch of verdant grassland, accompanied by scattered pink flowers and a large tree with a trunk requiring several people to embrace.
And beneath the shade of that large tree was a dilapidated swing.
A maiden with black hair and golden eyes, dressed in a classical dark long dress, was sitting on the swing, swaying gently with the morning breeze.
Behind her were stacked books, and one lay open in her lap, which she was reading intently.
The maiden’s features were exquisite, but her golden eyes seemed shrouded in the night, carrying a hint of haziness.
Among her ink-black hair, a pair of faint bulges could be seen. Deep shadows flickered within her clothing. Her long dress was layered but not cumbersome, adorned with dots of starlight, like the night sky.
Her form was somewhat ethereal, showing signs of radiating ripples outward. Her face seemed veiled by layers of gauze, hazy yet exceptionally beautiful.
She slightly extended her hand, and a colorful butterfly, as if summoned, circled around for a few turns before carefully fluttering its dazzling wings and descending towards the maiden’s outstretched hand, landing on her fair fingertip.
After playfully interacting with the butterfly for a while, she then looked up at Shaya. Her light golden eyes held both confusion and a trace of wariness.
But more than anything, there was intense curiosity—
Like a black cat, elegantly pacing, observing the stranger who had trespassed into its territory.
“Welcome… stranger human.”
As the crisp and melodious words left her lips, Shaya interrupted them under the maiden’s somewhat startled gaze.
He was also observing the black-skirted maiden before him.
After a moment, a slight smile appeared on Shaya’s face.
“Actually, we’ve met a few times. Not really strangers, are we?”
“Moreover, you clearly already knew everything that happened in the past, yet you’re still pretending to be young here, observing me as if I were ignorant and oblivious.”
“I never expected that the ‘Queen of the Night,’ renowned as the king of the Gray World of the Western Continent… would have such a mischievous side in secret.”
“Wouldn’t you agree…”
Shaya smiled.
“Miss Augustina?”
…
As Shaya’s words were spoken.
He clearly saw the black-skirted maiden before him blink.
In her beautiful eyes, shrouded by the night, the former clarity and youth vanished.
In their place, a profound ancientness emerged, as if traversing through eternal ages.
The faint night and shadows that had previously covered her beautiful eyes receded slightly, revealing a crimson-gold luster within, akin to molten lava.
The black-skirted maiden looked deeply at Shaya.
The next moment, as if judging that Shaya’s words were not a probe but a confident assertion, her delicately furrowed brow slowly relaxed, and her demeanor utterly transformed.
Although her figure, appearance, and aura had not changed in the slightest, Shaya distinctly felt as if the maiden before him had become someone else.
No longer the clear-eyed girl from before.
But more like a queen, ruling over darkness and secrecy.
“Although I did consider… that due to reasons like appearance and temperament, you might deduce that the Black Princess of Escarnia and the later Augustina are the same person.”
“However… how did you determine that I, at this moment, possess memories from the future?”
No longer the clear-voiced girl.
A hoarse and languid voice echoed in the silent garden.
And her words clearly acknowledged that she was indeed the “Queen of the Night,” Augustina.
For the first time, a look of surprise appeared in Augustina’s crimson-gold eyes.
Even Thrones and Demigods, while able to perceive the river of time to a certain extent, did not mean they could freely traverse through it.
Otherwise, Sylvia would have long ago reversed time to investigate the truth of the Ancient Azure Court and wouldn’t have needed to establish the White Tower and bury herself for five hundred years.
Even ordinary True Gods could not achieve this.
Otherwise, if they encountered any opponent or enemy, they could simply travel back to when the opponent was weak and eliminate them, making it an unbeatable and utterly unfair advantage.
Except for higher existences above True Gods, whose existence might not even be known, traversing space-time requires relying on ancient Holy Relics born at the dawn of creation.
Such as the Holy Sword.
Or perhaps…
“If I recall correctly, the Shadow Council possesses the Holy Relic ‘Sands of Time.’ Much of the verification of intelligence is done using this Holy Relic.”
Shaya spoke softly, “And I know that the ‘Sands of Time’ has another use.”
“That is, to expend all the Sands of Time stored within, and send one’s consciousness to a specific point in time where their physical body existed in the past.”
“Miss Augustina must have used such power to send her consciousness back to the past, right?”
As Shaya spoke, the light in Augustina’s crimson-gold eyes intensified.
“Not long before the current time node, you even needed to run to the Shadow Council to purchase intelligence that wasn’t particularly secret.”
“But now, you even know the specific function of one of the oldest Holy Relics, the Sands of Time.”
The black-skirted maiden scrutinized Shaya with her crimson-gold eyes, “Did you also obtain an omniscience-type Holy Relic?”
“‘The Fool’s Grand Library,’ ‘The Tablet of Destiny,’ ‘The Observer’s Diary’… or that damned verbose cup?”
…
Are the Fool’s Grand Library, the Tablet of Destiny, and the Observer’s Diary also omniscience-type Holy Relics?
Listening to Augustina’s question, Shaya couldn’t help but ponder inwardly.
There were no options for these Holy Relics in the Time Sand Mall exchange… was it because they were not unlocked, or simply unobtainable?
And also—
“That damned verbose cup.”
It seems the little prison cup’s reputation has always been poor.
Wait, listening to Augustina’s tone, it seems she hasn’t just heard of it but has actually interacted with it, and even suffered losses at its hands.
According to the little prison cup, it has been lost for over two thousand years… Hiss, Augustina’s origin seems even more ancient than he imagined.
No wonder, in her eyes, his wife was merely a “little girl.”
Then Augustina’s age must be…
Shaya cautiously suppressed this impolite thought.
He had suffered at Sylvia’s hands before. The mental power of these Thrones was exceptionally strong. If his emotions fluctuated even slightly without precautions, he might have his thoughts overheard by them at any time.
Shaya’s expression remained unchanged. “Your Excellency Augustina is indeed the greatest information broker… the Queen of the Gray World. You’ve come close to the answer so quickly.”
Opposite him, Augustina’s posture became languid again.
Her plain white fingers tapped lightly in the air.
The next moment, pitch-black shadows wove themselves into two seats behind Augustina and Shaya.
“Since you have obtained an omniscience-type Holy Relic, I believe you understand what you are about to face.”
Augustina leaned against the shadowy seat, scrutinizing Shaya with her crimson-gold eyes.
“You risked so much to return to this Historical Echo, presumably to save that young lady, Isadorella.”
“But, you must understand one thing.”
Her gaze paused on Shaya’s face for a moment, then shifted away, no longer meeting his dark eyes.
Instead, she lowered her gaze towards the vast Escarnia land below the Thousand Year City.
That was the former Royal Capital of Escarnia, and also the “Camelot” currently under construction.
“That King of Knights has severed her past and future.”
“Using the power of the Holy Sword, she has carved out her own Imaginary Domain outside the river of time.”
“Unlike me, I merely used the power of the ‘Sands of Time’ to trace back my future consciousness here. The power and authority I can wield are no different from before the consciousness trace-back, and I am also bound by corrective forces, unable to make overly drastic moves.”
“However, as the Queen of the Imaginary Domain, she has already become independent of history, never experiencing weakness.”
“Even if you return to Holy Calendar Year 1 with all your effort… the Isadorella you will face will not be the Knight King maiden from your memory, but the Crimson Empress from later ages, corroded by a thousand years of time, whose divinity outweighs her humanity, and whose obsession has been twisted by the Crimson Moon.”
“Even if you reveal your true identity as Cain, it may not be of much use under the Crimson Moon’s distortion… everything may still be irreversible.”
Augustina looked down at the distant land below and said softly.
“Even so, you still intend to save her?”
“Of course. There’s an old saying in my homeland: ‘For everything that happens, there is a reason, and every consequence is predestined.’”
“Since it is the karma I have created, I must repay it.”
“If I don’t do this, then I wouldn’t be myself.”
Shaya’s answer was immediate, without the slightest hesitation.
He also didn’t stand on ceremony, directly sitting down on the seat behind him.
But then, Shaya cast his gaze towards the black-skirted maiden before him.
“However, you’ve gotten one thing wrong.”
“I’m not just here for her this time, but also for you in the Thousand Year City.”
Shaya paused slightly, then spoke softly in Augustina’s somewhat surprised gaze.
“My Fourth Soul Pact, and that strange immortality…”
“It’s because of you, Miss Black Princess, isn’t it?”
