Night World Players

Chapter 222: Am I now a shore guardian that you are proud of? (Two in one)

"Then, an equal exchange."

"It's accomplished..."

Gray's words were like dewdrops falling on the water.

Endless ripples appeared on the originally peaceful river of time.

"you……"

In the distant sky, the tomb-guarding angel opened his mouth slightly, as if he wanted to say something...

But it was too late.

boom--

In that twisted and torn time, the shadow of a stone tablet suddenly appeared.

Unlike the holy relic that others imagine must be magnificent and mysterious... this stone tablet actually looks very ordinary, only half a person's height.

On the rough surface, crooked figures are engraved - those are the first words that were born when the seeds of human civilization began to sprout.

This is the true appearance of the "Eternal Night Stele"... Although this holy relic inherited from the Age of Gods is so mysterious in the eyes of later generations, in reality, it is just an ordinary stone with a crooked pattern engraved on it using a sharp stone.

It’s not that the “Eternal Night Stele” itself is special, but because it is the first stele engraved with civilized characters, it has been given value by later history.

The phantom materialized.

The next moment, the plain stone tablet suddenly broke apart and shone brightly.

In that instant, countless ripples were released from the shattered stone tablet, surging out as if shackles had been broken, creating layer upon layer of ripples in the unchanging river of time in the present world.

At the same time, in the long river of time, thousands of hazy lights and shadows are slowly condensing into endless waves and tides.

This is a reflection of the past, an echo of history, and the lingering sound of time engraved on the stone tablet.

There are countless past events that have been buried in the dust of history over the long years.

……

In the earliest era, ancient dragons, giants, high elves, vampires, winged creatures, demon wolves... these naturally powerful races were the protagonists of that mythological era.

Compared with this, human beings are just insignificant supporting roles in the tide of the times.

They have no fangs, no claws, no magic eyes or superpowers that come from their bloodline... and no innate talent to be connected to the magic network. For those mythological races, casting spells is as simple as eating and drinking, but for humans, it requires a lifetime of effort to study and master it.

They do not have the long, almost infinite lifespan like those immortal species.

The average human lifespan is only a few decades. For many species, the time it takes to survive childhood is their entire life.

Most human beings will find it difficult to reach the extraordinary realm in their entire lives.

If normal development continues, humans will continue to be weak... and can only survive as a subordinate race, relying on being a vassal of a powerful race.

but--

During that period of time, an unknown, dull human being emerged.

He believes that every enemy, every danger, and every problem in the world has corresponding knowledge, as well as skills and props derived from that knowledge to fight against it.

However, the knowledge, skills, and props that each person can memorize, master, and store throughout his or her lifetime are limited.

So, in order to fight against naturally powerful races such as dragons, elves, and vampires with the inferior bodies of humans... he wove some abilities that only dull humans could use.

Humans certainly don't have sharp teeth and claws, nor do they have powerful blood talents and long lifespans.

However, the transmission of knowledge and the inheritance of civilization... are treasures that only weak humans can appreciate and use to defeat powerful enemies.

From the art of making fire with stones, fallen leaves, and branches, to the techniques of setting traps and hunting giant beasts...

From tips on identifying edible fruits to using herbs to treat ailments...

Even at the beginning, the knowledge imparted was just a few insignificant summaries of experience.

But as long as it can be passed down from generation to generation, as time goes by, the progress of civilization history... will be improved, completed and filled in by generations.

One day, the tiny spark of the past will be able to turn into a raging flame that will burn the entire world.

So, finally.

All these expectations became reality in later generations.

The method of using dead leaves and branches to drill wood to make fire has turned into a nuclear power plant that burns like a star, brightly lighting up dozens of cities.

The experience of using herbal medicine to treat diseases has evolved into modern medicine, which can explore the deepest part of every biological cell and even analyze the genetic structure.

And the ambition of mankind in the past to stand on the earth and look up at the clear starry sky... has also turned into artificial celestial bodies floating in the deep space of the universe, shining like stars.

……

"Damn..."

In the distant sky, thunder and storms are surging.

That was the power of angels. The gravekeeper angel used all his strength to stop all this from happening, to prevent the historical reflections engraved and recorded in the Eternal Night Stele from fading away and returning to the real world.

However, it is ineffective.

This is an equal exchange between Grey and fate, which cannot be changed or reversed from the moment the transaction is reached.

In the words of the Gravekeeper Angel himself -

This is the law of nature, this is fate.

"You crazy person!"

"What good will this do you? The very thing you want to protect has already been destroyed!"

"Just for those so-called ideals and obsessions that are nothing more than illusions? Are you going to take others with you to be buried with you?"

"Those are clearly things that are of no benefit to angels and will only become shackles. All those who have borne these shackles in the past have died, whether they were legends or angels!"

The gravekeeper's furious roar echoed in the sky.

As an angel, there should be nothing in this world that can cause him to be emotionally unstable...but Gray's actions were definitely beyond his expectations.

"You're right, these are indeed shackles... more like shackles."

Gray's voice sounded softly, with a hint of haziness.

"However, all of this I did wasn't to drag someone down with me..."

"Instead, it opens up a brand new path for future generations."

"Just like what Senior Sissel did for me during the Battle of Broken Coast."

The long river of time condensed into substance materialized behind Gray, surging and roaring, and even the girl's figure became illusory and transparent.

"An angel from the gravekeeper."

"You have become an angel, reigning outside of time, on the eternal throne for too long—"

"To the point of forgetting what it's like to be human."

boom--

The roar came from the end of the distant sky, yet it seemed to be very close.

The long river of time overflowed through the gaps created by Gray's wish, making everything around her radiant and colorful.

Countless images from the past, belonging to the future, and not belonging to the same time node all intersect in this collapsing time, and then collide and dissolve.

Within the Eternal Night Monument, those reflections of the past, echoes of the past, and traces of history buried by the gravekeepers are quietly released...

They are gradually converging and becoming more real and clear.

Finally, in the increasingly dense night, the prototype of something was formed.

It is the product of countless fragments of the past and history that have been aggregated... the seeds of a brand new world.

The unsprouted seeds of the "night world".

……

"so--"

"The one who opened up the night world is you after all... Gray."

Last gazed at the gray-haired girl, her figure gradually becoming ethereal as she drifted through the river of time, and uttered a silent whisper. Even though he had made countless guesses and rehearsed them in his mind before.

But at this moment, when he witnessed with his own eyes the great achievement of the opening up of the night world, he was still shocked beyond words.

"But……"

"You who made such a grand wish to fate, 'Opening up the Night World'—"

"And how much will it cost?"

The corners of Rast's mouth trembled slightly, and he spoke softly.

According to Amis, she only used her own power to send Last and Dean Yin to the future node of the long river of time, but did not let them enter it.

This is a battlefield that belongs only to angels, and it is too dangerous for Rast at the moment... Therefore, they are now clearly just spectators, just like watching an old videotape that has been covered in dust for decades.

however--

At this moment.

It was as if through the power of one's own destiny, one knew that someone was looking at him from afar across the long river of time.

The gray-haired girl also turned slightly.

This is a gaze spanning hundreds of years, one person is upstream of history and the other is downstream, looking at each other across the roaring river of time.

"The price...?"

Gray's voice rang out quietly.

Even before this, Gray had always maintained a calm expression, even when facing another angel from the gravekeeper.

But at this moment, there was clearly a hint of inexplicable emotion on her fair face.

"A price commensurate with the ambition of 'opening up the night world'—"

"Of course, it's just everything I have as an angel, right?"

She was clearly smiling, but her expression was tinged with great sadness.

It was exactly the same as when I said goodbye to Rast by the Broken Shore.

"Falling from the throne of angels, exiled as an ordinary person in the deepest part of the sea of ​​stars..."

As if to echo Gray's words, the long river of time roared and surged, rolling up one twisted vortex after another.

Gray's reflection was reflected in the vortex.

That is the mark she left in history as an angel.

Every angel possesses an extremely domineering uniqueness in time and space. They exist in every corner of the entire history, and every moment bears the mark of an angel.

As an angel of the "Fate" sequence, Grey has left a mark on history far greater than any other angel... Even if she dies, as long as there is a mark left in that endless time node, she can return again.

This is the immortality of angels, the throne called "eternity".

But at this moment, Gray is falling from the throne, losing her eternal immortality bit by bit.

Behind Gray, the twisting vortex became more turbulent, and the figure reflected in it became clearer and clearer.

These are the marks, or footprints, she left in the long river of history as an angel.

And now, every footprint and every mark left by Gray is slowly being stripped from history...

As the price she paid for making such a grand wish to fate.

……

After listening to Amy's inner thoughts in the hospital, Grey secretly made up her mind and began to record Grey's voice for her brother Rast alone in a room in the watchtower.

……

The second time he made a wish to fate, he brought about an unexpected disaster.

After experiencing the collapse of time and space, Grey walked dazedly on the ruins of Canaan, which was burning with fire and thick smoke, until she saw the little boy buried in the ruins. She hugged him tightly with tears in her smile.

……

In the second legendary battle, under the pressure of the King of the Iron Cross and the beast tide, Grey broke through the legend in the battle, completely cleared the entire Western Continent, ended the dark age that lasted for hundreds of years, and officially ushered in the Sixth Epoch Civilization into the Federal Era.

……

After the Battle of Broken Shore, on the gravel beach full of reefs, Grey listened to her brother Rust, who was covered in wounds, saying goodbye to her, and tried hard not to cry.

……

On the cliff of Paradise Royal City, after hearing her brother Last's declaration of betrayal with her own ears and being ravaged by him again, Gray knelt in the muddy mud and cried helplessly, as if she had been abandoned by the whole world.

……

In the new recruit training camp of the Watchtower, Grey was walking alone on the street like a little match girl, but after hearing the voice of her brother Rust, the light in her green eyes rekindled.

……

These are the footprints Gray left in this world.

It is also the most precious memory in her heart, shining like a diamond, and has never faded even after hundreds of years.

But at this moment...

All these marks, all the memories, are being erased bit by bit by the long river of time, leaving only pure nothingness.

From back to front, it was as if pressing the reverse button for Grey's life, going back little by little, and being eliminated little by little.

Until, reaching the end of memory, the origin of everything.

A small town in the dark night, endless white fog.

This is a place called "Frozen Water Town", and it is also the starting point of the life of a girl named Gray.

It was here that she first met her brother Rast.

……

The end of memories is a dim room.

Gray, who was still ignorant of the world at that time, sneaked into Rust's room and wanted to steal Rust and Hiltina's Guardian Medal.

At that time, she believed that as long as she obtained the medal, she would be able to join the Shore Watchers organization and receive the protection of the most powerful person in the world.

It was also on that day that she was given the name "Gray" by Last, and for the first time she had something called an ideal.

"What 'Shore Guardian' represents is not the safe and stable life you imagine."

"It's a pair of shackles, a chain, and even... a curse."

"A curse that will stay with you for the rest of your life, like a thorn in your flesh, from which you can never escape, until the end of your life."

"Don't talk about becoming a shore guardian until you've made up your mind to bear this curse."

This was the conversation that took place in that dim room in Frozen Water Town.

And this moment is just like that time.

"Back then, in that dim room in Frozen Water Town..."

"Brother Luster, you used such serious words to solemnly refute my childish thoughts at that time—"

"Brother Luster, you said that with the level of awareness I had at that time, I wasn't qualified to talk about becoming a shore guard."

Gray's whisper, crossing the long river of time, slowly sounded in Rast's ears.

"So, what now?"

"Brother Luster."

Gray just smiled slightly.

The afterglow of the flowing time fell on her profile, making the outline clear and deep.

"I am now..."

"Have you become a qualified shore guard that you can be proud of?"

(End of this chapter)