Night World Players

Chapter 252 Xiao Ai, just keep being Xiao Ai

The figure in front of Rust slowly turned around.

She still maintained the figure of a young girl, but her eyes were no longer the slightly soft sky blue, but golden pupils like lava.

On that fair and delicate face, the joy of a long-awaited reunion was no longer revealed; instead, there was an indifferent disdain for the world.

This is the proper demeanor of the "Angel of Judgment"... As the embodiment of the Judgment Star Cup, symbolizing the divine law of judgment, destruction, and annihilation, she inherently possesses the right to despise all living beings.

"How did you find out?"

An indifferent voice came from not far away.

It was still the same clear and melodious voice of a young girl, but to Last's ears, it didn't sound human; instead, it sounded more like some kind of cold machine.

"Because Xiao Ai wouldn't have such lofty ambitions."

Instead of looking at the angel of judgment formed from the will of the Star Cup, Last turned his gaze to the vast and ethereal sea of ​​clouds outside the quartz window.

And beneath the sea of ​​clouds, on the western continent, lies a prosperous and thriving human civilization.

"With the nation and the world in our hearts, we will use science and technology to promote the development of human civilization, eliminate war, explore the stars... and create a utopia where there is no discrimination, oppression, or war, where everyone is equal, and which only exists in our ideals."

"These dreams are beautiful and desirable, but they may be Hiltina's ideals, but they are definitely not Ai's dreams."

"If Hiltina were to see such a mental landscape in her mind, I wouldn't be surprised."

He smiled slightly: "But I know that Xiao Ai's heart can actually hold very, very little..."

"Her world has never encompassed such grand concepts as an entire nation, an entire continent, all of humanity, or an entire civilization—"

"That small Canaan town was her whole world."

In the distance, the angel of judgment paused slightly.

The mechanical voice held a pause, as if deep in thought: "What you say is not consistent with the Amys I have seen and imitated in the past."

"Of course it's different."

Luster shook his head.

His gaze softened slightly, as if he had pierced through the sea of ​​clouds before him and arrived at some distant place.

"Actually, I should have realized it sooner..."

"Xiao Ai has only been putting on a brave face all along."

He recalled his experiences during the three hundred years he was trapped in Deep Blue Harbor, and how he was forced to go to Canaan every time his mind broke down and he had the urge to destroy himself.

And, two years ago, amidst the echoes of history in the Sixth Epoch, I reunited with Ai in the Night World.

Every reunion, every encounter, every meeting... that blonde girl with sky-blue eyes embraces herself with her sincerity and strength.

It soothed the wounds and healed and redeemed Last's weary soul.

In Rust's memory, Amys was always so gentle yet so strong, becoming his support and a safe haven on his journey to pursue his ideals.

However, after Last learned the truth about Aiolia and Canaan in the last echo of history—

He then discovered the anomaly that he had been overlooking all along.

……

Ultimately, when Canaan was destroyed by "spacetime collapse" and Amys traveled from the modern era to the Sixth Epoch, she was just a little girl in her early teens.

She didn't receive the same elite royal education as Ophelia, nor did she ever walk the night world like Hiltina, witnessing countless magnificent landscapes... Nor did she undergo the trials of blood and fire and the process of continuous growth that Gray experienced through the Shore Guardians.

In the past, Amys was just a carefree little girl living in a small town—the border town called "Canaan" was her entire world.

Even if she is precocious and strong, there is still a limit to her potential.

After their homeland was destroyed, they were suddenly stranded in another era where they had no relatives or friends. First, they were tormented by the aftereffects of the spacetime collapse... Then they accepted the "Artificial Angel" project, endured the erosion of the tyrannical will of the Judgment Star Cup, and spent thousands or even tens of thousands of years in darkness.

Even Lust, who had awakened the memories of a transmigrator, was on the verge of collapse and self-destruction several times in Deep Blue Harbor—let alone Amys herself.

"Whether it's her body or her mind, Xiao Ai has already reached her limit... she's just been forcing herself to keep going."

"And her actual condition is probably far from as good as she describes herself—"

Last said softly, "Most of the time, Aiacos's will was suppressed and constantly eroded by you and by the natural law contained in the Judgment Star Cup..."

"When her self is completely eroded, the girl named Amys will cease to exist, and in her place... will be a 'Judgment Angel' who possesses her body, appearance, and all her memories."

"In the pain of mental oppression and constant erosion of the soul... every time we met, she must have paid a great price and made tremendous efforts."

"Only in this way can Xiao Ai regain control of her body for that brief moment and meet me."

"That's why she only exchanged a few words with me and Dean Yin before seeing us off back then during the Echoes of History in the Sixth Epoch... If it had been any later, you probably would have taken back control of her body."

The look of reminiscence in Last's eyes quietly faded: "But, Ai never tells me these things."

His gaze was calm and undisturbed.
"Xiao Ai knows that I have forgotten most of my memories from Canaan during the time loop in Deep Blue Harbor."

“If it were someone else, they might have tried to make me try to recall those memories… but Xiao Ai didn’t do that. Because in her view, forcing someone with amnesia to recall forgotten memories is tantamount to moral coercion.”

"If we forget the past, then we can just create new memories together," that's Xiao Ai's current thought.

"To achieve this goal, with each encounter, each reunion in Canaan, Xiao Ai strives to become gentler, more cheerful, and more optimistic, capable of accepting everything about me—"

"Just so that every encounter... can allow me to see the most perfect, the most outstanding her."

"Compared to the real her, that weak, desperate, timid and confused little girl... Xiao Ai would rather leave me with new memories of the beautiful and strong self behind the disguise that conceals her scars."

Not far away, the Angel of Judgment listened silently to Rast's story without uttering a sound.

Clearly, she tacitly accepted Rust's explanation.

Rust ignored him and continued talking to himself.

“I once told Xiao Ai about Hiltina, about my encounter with her in Deep Blue Harbor, and about my admiration for Hiltina.”

"Perhaps they sensed the longing in my words and felt that I might prefer someone like Hiltina, someone full of ideals and a strong sense of justice, whose beliefs shone brightly—"

"So in the days that followed, Xiao Ai also began to subconsciously imitate Hiltina, trying to make herself look more idealistic and righteous, and to become more in line with my preferences and the image I favored."

He pointed to the prosperous civilization beneath the sea of ​​clouds outside the quartz window: "And this is why your counterfeit mental world appears so magnificent and bright, with the world in your heart."

Last smiled slightly: "But I knew from the beginning—"

“Amys is Amys, and Hiltina is Hiltina… Little Amys can’t become Hiltina, and she doesn’t need to become Hiltina.”

"It doesn't matter if she was just a timid, cowardly, and ordinary country girl from a border town from beginning to end—"

"Xiao Ai, just keep being Xiao Ai."

Rast's gaze returned to the angel of judgment before him, tinged with a faint chill.

"And you, who are neither Amys nor Hiltina... no matter how much you imitate, you can never become either of them."

"It's just a counterfeit, a poor imitation."

The moment Rust saw the Angel of Judgment, he knew who she was.

After all, someone who has the appearance of Amys but whose personality is a poor imitation of Hiltina is just incongruous to Rust.

However, it was only after listening to Rust completely expose his pretense that he realized how true his disguise had been.

The angel of judgment, in the form of a young girl, showed not the slightest ripple of emotion.

"But the real Amy has disappeared."

“I have eroded her inner world, completely devoured her soul and memories, and even inherited her body.”

“Now, I am her, I am Amys herself.”

The humanoid angel of judgment turned to look at Rast.

“I possess everything Amys has; in other words, what she could give you… I can give you as well.” “Whether it’s the power of the Angel of Judgment, or this body, I can grant you any request—”

"Moreover, I can do what Amys can't do."

She pointed out the quartz window to the human civilization beneath the sea of ​​clouds.

"Although this is a scene in the mental world, the technological creations within it, whether in terms of blueprints or the principles of their construction, are real and effective."

“As long as we return to reality, this fantasy landscape that exists only in the mind can be realized as reality.”

"We can truly transform the real Western Continent into a technologically advanced utopia, free from war and oppression, where people collectively explore the stars—"

The angel of judgment spoke calmly: "You should know that relying on my authority as an angel, this is not just empty talk."

“It sounds like a proposal that would benefit me in every way.” Last smiled. “If I just agree, I can gain an angelic companion. Not only will I not lose anything, but I will also gain additional assistance.”

"As for the real Amys, no one really cares—except for me, no one else knows what that girl from Canaan really looks like..."

“If I say you are Amys, then you are Amys, and no one will question it.”

"Yes."

The Angel of Judgment nodded: "The world rules I represent, or what you call 'divine justice'... are not actually hostile to the Guardians."

"On the contrary, whether it is the gods remaining on the Cage of the Blazing Sky or the tomb guardians hiding behind the curtain of history, they are all targets that I, as the agent of the principles of heaven, need to hunt down."

"Therefore, there is a basis for cooperation between us, and I can completely obey you and meet all your demands."

"I can help you hunt down those evil gods and the angels in the Gravekeepers... I can even transform the entire world into a peaceful utopia, allowing you to realize your ideal of becoming a 'partner of justice.'"

She reached out her hand to Last once more:
"Believe me, cooperating with the will of the world is something that countless legends and even angels dream of."

"The reason I chose you is twofold: firstly, because of your relationship with the original owner of this body, and secondly, because I see potential in you and believe that you may be able to do something in the future... surpass all the gods of past eras and truly ascend to the supreme realm that no one has been able to reach since the Age of Gods."

"In your world's terms—this is just a benevolent angel investment. In exchange, I hope you can accomplish something for the sake of justice in the future. But this is not mandatory, nor will it put you in a difficult position. You also have the right to refuse."

After being completely exposed, the Angel of Judgment did not directly break off relations, but instead frankly discussed cooperation and stated its price.

This is undoubtedly a very sincere collaboration. After all, as she said, the Angel of Judgment possesses everything about Amys, whether it is her body, memories, or power... and as the embodiment of the Star Cup and the agent of the laws of nature, there are many hidden benefits to cooperating with her.

Looking at the hand extended to him by the young girl-like angel of judgment, Last's lips curled into a smile, his voice tinged with weariness:
"I reject."

"You refuse?" The voice of the angel of judgment paused noticeably.

This is a benevolent act from the principles of nature and the will of the world.

No legend, or even a god, would refuse such kindness.

"Before making this decision, were you fully aware of your situation?" She stared at Rust with her golden eyes: "There have been some unusual movements in the river of history recently. It is because the angels of the Tomb Keeper organization are gradually reviving, returning from behind the curtain of history, and stepping back into the forefront."

"As the guardian of this generation, you have an irreconcilable blood feud with the tomb guardians. Once the tomb guardians' fighting power is fully restored, they will definitely eliminate you, this hidden danger, first."

“The Angel of Fate, Grey, has been banished to the ends of the stars and can no longer interfere in the mortal world. If you do not rely on my help... facing the many angels of the Tomb Keeper, a single Holy Sword and its wielder cannot protect you.”

"At that time, you will surely be crushed into dust by the tomb keeper."

“I know,” Last’s voice remained calm, “but I still choose to refuse.”

For the first time, a hint of confusion appeared in the angel of judgment's cold voice: "You don't even listen to our terms of cooperation before making decisions about what you're required to do?"

"I will refuse any cooperation terms."

"Because she is my little Ai."

"Because the person you want to replace is named Amys."

Last smiled. "Perhaps rationally speaking, this choice is foolish, but I prefer it this way. After all, my Nightblade is the 'Library of Fools'... How can I be the master of this library if I don't occasionally act foolish?"

"To be honest, just seeing you say these words with her face makes me feel nauseous right now, let alone cooperating with you."

He walked forward, ignoring the girl's outstretched hand, and brushed past her.

"Moreover, I know that Xiao Ai has not disappeared... No matter how strong the will of the Judgment Star Cup is, it has not yet eroded her entire soul."

"She simply hid the things that were most important to her, like childhood treasures, in that 'treehouse' that only she and I knew about."

Last's finger tapped lightly in mid-air.

The next moment, illusory ripples appeared in the void.

If it were Rast two years ago, he would never have been able to find the "treehouse" in this world of the mind, a place the angel of judgment had searched for an entire era without success.

However, after two years of dormancy—

Now, Rast has fully recalled everything he experienced in the very beginning, in that real Canaan...

There are no superhumans, no night world, but rather the daily life of an ordinary resident of a border town with Amys in Canaan.

That's why he was able to see through the angel of judgment's disguise at a glance and know Amys's inner journey all along... because he truly remembered what Amys was like when she was a child.

And now, he has rediscovered the little treehouse that he and Amys built together as children, which they used as their secret base.

An illusory door quietly appeared in the void.

Unlike the radiant door opened by the angel of judgment earlier... this new door appeared oppressive and dark. Through the illusory reflection, one could vaguely see a scene of desolate ruins inside.

However, between the two doors, Raste just missed the dazzling door of light that represented cooperation with the will of Heaven.

Then, he walked straight into the other side, into the dim and dilapidated ruins.

……

Not far away, the Angel of Judgment watched as Rast's figure stepped into the devastated ruins and then disappeared completely.

During this time, she did not stop him, but silently watched the boy's back.

"Seven long eras have passed since the Age of Gods..."

"Is this world finally about to give birth to a brand new candidate for 'Fool,' the seed of the Supreme One?"

click-

The sound of breaking suddenly rang out.

The angel of judgment looked down expressionlessly and saw a crystalline crack appear on her body without warning, piercing through her entire body like a crack in glass.

No, it's not just her body.

Instead, the entire sky was instantly covered with countless cracks, like a spider web.

At this moment, the Angel of Judgment finally understood why Last hadn't pulled the trigger on him earlier—

Without firing a shot, a single thought was enough for him to kill himself, the embodiment of the Star Cup.

Despite being merely a legendary figure, the other's soul and mind... had clearly reached a level that would make even angels tremble.

The angel of judgment stared expressionlessly at its own human form, which was constantly cracking, collapsing, and disintegrating.

"No, he is not a candidate for 'Fool'."

"But...has it already become..."

click-

With a final, shattering sound.

The shattered angel of judgment, along with the entire magnificent and glorious world, was broken into pieces, like a piece of glass.

Only countless shimmering fragments remained, drifting in the boundless darkness.

....................................

P.S.: Changed the cover.
(End of this chapter)