Zongman, the journey begins from the wrong place

Noah really wanted to say that he didn't have that much ability.

As for destroying the world, Noah felt that he could do it if he tried hard, but leading the world towards a future that even the incarnation of the root could not understand was a bit mysterious.

It's like, no matter how the chess moves on the chessboard change, the total number must be fixed.

No matter how powerful you are, can you still kill the chess player?

Although Noah sought infinite transcendence, he never imagined that he could reach the point beyond creation.

Noah, who was thinking and complaining, did not notice that [Ryougi Shiki] was looking at him with a complex expression of curiosity, joy, sigh and loneliness.

"Noah-kun, you are indeed very special."

A sigh as gentle as the wind brought Noah back to his senses, and he looked at the girl in front of him in confusion.

"Huh? Special? No?"

Then Youya realized that she had just been distracted.

If it was in battle, it would have been enough to kill him more than ten times.

After searching deep in his heart, Noah felt that this had nothing to do with the beauty of Ryougi Shiki that had infatuated him.

If we have to say the reason, it is probably that in Noah's intuition, he probably already believed that the other party was the incarnation of the root.

Faced with a powerful man who can reshape the world in the blink of an eye, he has given up the desire to fight.

"Then why is it that when Noah-kun faces me, his mind only thinks of..."

There was a slight pause in her tone, and Ryougi Shiki's eyes became slightly more complicated and subtle.

Playful, Noah was sure, that was playful!

Noah had to admit that seeing Ryougi Shiki, a woman who exuded extreme gentleness and emptiness, suddenly show this expression made his heart beat faster.

This woman is damn sweet!

"...a mess?"

This comment instantly made Noah narrow his eyes, and then he blinked helplessly.

Mess?

Although he knew that his thoughts were in a mess, what else could he think about if he didn't let his thoughts run wild?

"Then what should I think about? It's up to you to decide what to do. What I think will make sense?"

As if afraid of the cold, [Ryougi Shiki] let out a slight breath, and a ball of white mist condensed under the light and dispersed with the wind.

"...Noah-kun, when you don't think about anything, that itself is already a special thing."

She turned and looked at the city below the slope, her eyes so empty and lonely, as if she was overlooking the whole world.

"In this world, countless magi desire to reach the source and become omniscient and almighty. Even ordinary people who don't know the source are filled with infinite desire—"

[Ryougi Shiki] stretched out her right hand, and stuck out a white wrist from the moon-white wide sleeves to catch the snowflakes falling from the sky.

Noah watched the snowflakes slowly melt between his palms, which were even whiter and more crystal clear than his own. The slender wrists, as white as jade, were illuminated by the streetlights, and the blue veins could be clearly seen under the skin.

Although he had only sucked Asagami Fujino's blood for a short time, he felt a little dry in his throat.

"gollum"

Noah finally reacted after a slight swallowing sound came from his throat.

The air was clearly below freezing, and the water vapor he exhaled was almost condensing into icy mist before it even dissipated, but Noah felt his cheeks burning.

Fortunately, Ryougi Shiki didn't hear it.

No, it should be said that she heard it, but didn't care.

"Tell me, what would those people think if they met me? Probably half fear and half greed, right? After all, whether it's fleeing from an unbeatable foe or becoming a powerful being who transcends and controls everything, it's the strongest instinct in the human heart."

When Ryougi Shiki turned around and looked at him, Noah suddenly felt his breath catch.

Ryougi Shiki's gaze did not become more aggressive, but rather remained as gentle as ever. However, it made Noah feel as if his inner coldness was being seen through.

"But, Noah-kun, you neither tried to escape nor to kill me. Why? Isn't it your goal to surpass all the strong? Why give up now?"

Noah felt as if his face was frozen by the cold wind and he was completely speechless.

"Because you don't fight for yourself, nor do you take for yourself. Although you long to defeat the strong and surpass the strong, you only see it as a responsibility, right?"

For a moment, a trace of vagueness flashed across Noah's eyes, and then disappeared completely, and a coldness condensed again.

"...Isn't that right? Everyone in this world has their place and mission. The weak are lost and sinking, while the strong are clear-headed and shouldering their responsibilities. Everyone has their own duties. If I don't do something, no one else will!"

When did this idea come about?

Noah couldn't remember it anymore, but it probably came from when he was wondering why some people were so fragile while he could bear it.

The same suffering has completely different weights for the strong and the weak.

Therefore, the strong can endure, while the weak will collapse in despair.

So, is it the responsibility of the strongest to take on all the suffering, killing, despair and hatred in the world?

——This is the clear fact that Noah understood when he pulled out the cursed sword that saves and destroys the world.

If you are the strongest, you will bear everything.

He must be at the highest point above all living beings, putting all things equally under the sword, and exercising judgment and punishment. That is his responsibility, Noah Sipher.

This equality includes his former mortal enemy, the so-called Demon King of Destruction - he is just an incarnation defeated by hatred and consumed by murderous intent, and is still a weakling.

"Yes, everyone has their own responsibilities, just like everyone has their own origins. Some things may be predetermined from the moment of birth—for example, you, Noah-kun, who have the origin of 'rebellion'."

In the eyes of Ryougi Shiki, the Origin Vortex is a bit like the ocean under the moon, but in fact it is a void that contains everything and yet has nothing.

The world was born in the vortex of origin, and all life, all things and existence were also born from it.

The moment each soul is born from the Root Vortex, its 'origin' is already fixed, and it must develop in the direction of the cause of its birth.

Most souls will be contaminated by the outside world after leaving the vortex of origin - the form of this may be manifested as the instincts of the creature in that form, the acquired education given by the environment, and so on.

Most people will never awaken to their origin in their entire lives.

In other words, although the Origin will eventually awaken, because the time for most lives to be eliminated is very short compared to the external pollution, many people are destroyed before they have time to awaken.

For those who awaken the origin in their short life, their "personality" of only about a hundred years will be swallowed up by the origin.

This is why, in the eyes of Ryougi Shiki, everything in the world is so boring.

The root is infinite, and no matter how complex and vast the world derived from the root is, it is finite.

The same is true for all life born from the vortex of origin.

If we observe the finite with the infinite, then there is no difference between billions and one, they are all just a speck of dust forming a whole.

It's like, [Ryougi Shiki] is not the root itself, but a part of the root, but just like one infinity of infinity is also infinity.

However, at some point, Ryougi Shiki suddenly discovered a very interesting origin.

Whenever Ryougi Shiki observed him, he would find that his originally fixed fate trajectory was changing again.

beyond?

Victory?

conquer?

No, Ryougi Shiki feels that none of those can accurately interpret the form of her existence.

It is more like a struggle and resistance against the established future.

For example, the world in which people lived before Noah was originally destined to be destroyed.

In that world, the real devil destined to be the king is not the imposter who was defeated, but Noah Sifel himself!

Whether it was the relatives and villagers who passed away prematurely, or the blood hidden in the body, it was the betrayal of comrades in the world, including the erosion of strength, the corruption of power and wealth, and the assimilation of hatred...

Everything in that world is pushing Noah towards becoming the world-destroying devil.

But Noah rebelled and rejected that fate.

Everything is under the sword, no one can surpass it, and nothing can change his will - Noah relies on this arrogance to suppress the darkness and destruction hidden in his heart.

This kind of rebellion and arrogance is indeed worthy of his title of savior and rebel against God.

However, just as those who want to reach the root often fail to realize their long-cherished wish, those who actually have the opportunity to reach the root have almost never had this goal.

The root cause of Noah's rebellion was nothing.

Not for hatred, not for desire, not for profit, and even not for myself.

Therefore, its future is completely unpredictable.

Noah also knew what the origin was, but he never thought that he had it.

Compared to knowing his origin, he now cares more about one thing.

"So, you who are all-knowing and all-powerful, come to see me just to watch a show?"

Almost immediately, Noah understood the purpose of Ryougi Shiki coming to find him.

Because in a sense, he thinks he and the other person are the same kind of people.

Noah's biggest fear was that there would be no one to surpass and no opponent to defeat.

However, Ryougi Shiki has definitely reached that level.

From this perspective, [Ryougi Shiki] is her future self.

Just imagine, if one day you really reach the state of being invincible, selfless, omniscient and omnipotent, then what you want most is probably an opponent who can surpass you, right?

If this person could possibly grow to the point where he could kill himself, then... even better!

However, after seeing his expression, Ryougi Shiki lowered her head slightly, like a child afraid of being scolded.

"The Origin Vortex is a place of pure nothingness. Omniscience and omnipotence aren't necessarily a good thing. Compared to the willless Origin itself, I, possessing consciousness, find it difficult to endure such extreme boredom... It's simply too tiring. So, I can only look at nothing, think about nothing, listen to nothing, and dream a dream that isn't even a dream..."

Noah ignored all these statements and just slightly emphasized his tone.

"So, you came to me for some fun?"

Although she knew that Noah was not angry, Ryougi Shiki still pursed her lips and raised her eyes from under her hair.

She slowly stretched out her slender hand holding the crystal white snow to Noah.

"I'm sorry, but if there's anything Noah-kun wants, I can fulfill it—whether it's changing the laws of matter, reversing the order of the world, or giving you supreme power, all of that is possible..."

Ryougi Shiki said this, and Noah believed what she said from the bottom of his heart.

——This person can give you anything.

But just like Noah, who had neither the desire to fight nor the urge to escape after meeting Ryougi Shiki, his heart was now filled with a calmness that even he himself did not understand.

"...In that case, I'll grant you this wish."

In Ryougi Shiki's slightly widened eyes, Noah's playful smile was reflected.

"Ms. Ryougi Shiki, the omniscient and all-powerful, use this wish to find your desire and then fulfill it."

Before Ryougi Shiki could react, Noah reached out and ruffled her soft hair.

"I'm sorry, there are two maids in the room waiting to eat. I won't accompany you, my lovely lady."

As soon as he finished speaking, Noah passed by Ryougi Shiki and left.

Hey, it’s so exciting to rub the head of a powerful person at the level of a creator god.

Run!

Although he knew it was useless, Noah couldn't help but speed up his pace slightly.

Behind him, [Ryougi Shiki] stood quietly in place, feeling the quietness and coldness as the wind and snow brushed against her body.

After an unknown amount of time, she slowly raised her head, touched her messed up hair, and the corners of her lips curled up slightly.

"You're truly worthy of me, Noah-kun..."

Ryougi Shiki imagined being rejected by Noah, being asked by Noah to destroy her and the Root itself, being asked by Noah to grant him power beyond his own limits...