The deepest of nights, just before dawn.
The pitch-black night sky ruptured, as though the heavens had collapsed—
A luminous radiance at dawn descended diagonally from the cracks.
Amidst that fissure between light and darkness, an imnse, radiant figure silently stood atop the clouds.
Its form could only be vaguely discerned, resembling that of a human. Around where its head should have been, four glimrs condensed into essences: "Wisdom," "Understanding," "Victory," and "Glory."
It appeared like the projection of a giant under the blazing sun, or a massive obelisk illuminated by light on four sides.
Around its chest burned golden flas, like intricate circuitry, spreading from its chest to encompass its entire body.
Its colossal hands, reaching from the heavens directly toward the earth, radiated golden hope.
The four iridescent beams around it grew ever brighter, eventually illuminating the entire night sky.
——A cascade of extraordinary light and colors, as though the divine spirit unleashed its grandeur.
A brilliance rivaled only by a thousand suns.
All of this, just as the Paper Princess had once depicted Annan in her portrait.
How does one deal with an immortal, indestructible enemy?
——The answer is simple.
Even Twilight itself had given Annan a hint—
The radiant figure slowly extended its hand. With two glowing hands, it gently held the tightly bound Twilight, enveloped by chains of light, and raised it toward the flas at its chest.
Then, its chest opened, revealing a cruciform cavity.
Countless golden flas of Justice surged forth, fusing the countless chains of light into a chrysalis-like shell.
"Twilight..."
It rumbled: "As long as the sun never sets, twilight shall never arrive.
"——You shall burn in my flas for eternity."
"...The third dawn shall also extinguish as fire,"
Twilight let out its final roar: "Even the Chariot is not eternal!
"When your flas extinguish, I will still—"
Its words hadn’t finished before the forge of light crafted from the Heart of Justice at the Fountain of Radiance closed once more with a resounding thud, sealing its consciousness and voice within the flas.
This was the result of Annan’s "First Wish: To Seal Twilight," forging such power from the realm of light.
"Who dares disturb ? None may disrupt ."
It calmly proclaid: "I shall follow this path until the very end."
With the essence of Twilight, capable of polluting all gods, finally sealed away by Annan,
The gods began to appear around him.
They had, in fact, perceived everything from the very beginning. But due to Twilight’s innate suppression of divine beings, they could not approach the Worm directly.
Yet they had done all they could to aid the "Six Hundred Stars"—layering power after power upon them in support.
"——Rejoice!"
Silver Baron, wearing a monocle, shouted in lofty praise: "Our newborn comrade, our savior, our Chariot!
"Our God of Ascension and Hope—"
"——What shall this world call you now?"
After an exceptionally brief pause.
The colossal radiant figure gradually receded, its exterior shell adhering to its form, slowly reshaping itself.
The final Annan looked almost identical to his form before transcending divinity.
Instead, that overwhelming presence dissipated, and his occasionally radiant, glowing eyes reverted to their original soft blue.
"I am ’the Gatekeeper.’"
Annan replied: "From this day forth, you shall call ’the Gatekeeper.’"
Like Janus, the Roman guardian deity with two faces—one gazing at the past, the other at the future.
He was also the guardian of the heavenly palace... each morning opening the gates to flood the earth with dawn’s light, each dusk closing them to usher nightti upon the world.
"I am the God of Ascension, the God of Hope, the God of Justice. I am the Guardian of the World, the link between the Charioteer and the Chariot, the God of Beginnings and Endings, the watcher of both past and future."
"Our Gatekeeper!"
Miss Haoyun exclaid: "From this day forth, the last day of every month shall be your holy day!"
With the ascension ceremony complete, the Worm was thoroughly sealed.
Annan’s near-impossible mission had finally co to an outco of triumph.
As the gods began to clap,
Then ca the Stars.
And finally, those who did not yet understand what had transpired—
A tide of joy swept across the entire world, hope’s light bathing the earth like the dawn.
The Sixth Aspect Chronicle could not bear the journey of a god across ti—Annan felt the pull of history’s past, urging him to depart swiftly.
Grandmother approached to adjust Annan’s collar.
Her voice brimming with pride: "Our savior... it is ti for you to leave."
"What then... will happen to you all?"
Annan asked subconsciously.
The gods could transcend the First Chronicle and persist, but... what about everyone else?
Yet to Annan’s surprise,
Everyone’s faces were adorned with smiles, showing no trace of fear.
"Yes, what might happen?"
Salvatore crossed his arms, chuckling lightly: "Without question, it will beco better than our era.
"We are all your successors."
"You can do better than we did,"
Kafney said firmly: "To minimize suffering, to resolve the greatest conflicts. To make this world better than it is here and now, to ensure people are happier—you can achieve this, just as we have attempted."
"Go, Gatekeeper."
Miss Haoyun reassured him: "If those of the past so wish, I can allow them to hear all of this once again, in their dreams.
"The experiences gained should not be forgotten, nor the emotions born erased. But whatever happens, they deserve even more."
"I would rather not recall any of it."
Kafney smiled: "I would much rather remain the carefree girl I once was."
"So would I."
The Four Shadows slowly nodded, speaking solemnly: "Partings between people are painful.
"Such pain drives growth. The solitude in between strikes like a knife, engraving scars deep within the soul. But if you were to ask whether I wish to endure such pain again for the sake of growth... my answer would be, absolutely not.
"Pain is worth rembering, but it shouldn’t be glorified. Now that we have the chance to change everything, we eagerly anticipate it."
"... I see."
Annan nodded slowly.
Although this world had beco so beautiful, not everyone passed through unscathed.
People’s happiness was built upon the sacrifices of the "Players" who first followed Annan, transforming into the "Stars" who safeguarded the world.
It was not a painful farewell or a difficult choice.
But a reunion filled with hope for the future.
"I understand...
"Then, farewell."
As Annan’s words fell,
He transford into a beam of light, vanishing into the sky.
Unlike the chaotic sensation before,
This ti, his consciousness was razor-sharp, flowing back against the tiline.
In that mont, Annan sensed sothing unexpected.
Following that familiar light, he looked across.
At the endless river of ti’s edge, he saw another figure.
It bore striking resemblance to his appearance.
Pitched black, waist-length hair, not strands but panels like the night sky... Silver-gray eyes resembling whirlpool-like gemstones. A serene, maternally tender smile adorned their face.
This was the Charioteer gazing into the future from history’s past.
She seed surprised to see soone traversing this road.
But as their eyes t, they mutually [understood] all of it.
[Ah, in the future, such possibilities still exist...]
The Charioteer whispered softly.
[The end of this future, brighter than any future I have ever seen]
[—Future Chariot, can I entrust hope to you?]
As she spoke, the Charioteer extended her hand toward Annan.
At her words, Annan finally grasped the truth:
Yawen had told Annan that the Charioteer was "never slain by anyone."
She saw "another future" just before delivering Sisyphus to the realm of light; she found it "a good thing" to die at that mont; she claid she had "been attacked by a force from the future," but said no more, with no explanations given nor demands for vengeance from other gods.
The reason was clear.
——From a certain point of view, she had committed suicide.
Without hesitation, Annan took her hand.
"I am the God of Hope—you can place your trust in ."
[Then that is excellent.]
She spoke.
In the next instant, with "Hope" and the Charioteer’s divine eyes used by Miss Haoyun to construct the "system" as the bridge,
A beam of light flowed from the past to the future, illuminating the entire river of ti.
The Charioteer’s past figure gradually fragnted; shards, carried by the passage of light, adhered to Annan’s form. The countless "eyes" closed upon his skin disappeared, leaving his flesh flawless.
With the infusion of "Charioteer" power, Annan’s eyes and hair transford to perfectly resemble hers. His age advanced by a few years, aging him into his youthful pri.
[Just with the Power of the Chariot, you cannot perfectly steer the world’s course]
[Then I shall give you everything higher—the powers of the ’Charioteer’ entirely]
[Now that you bear my essence, the Twilight born from my womb shall never betray you]
[Thus, the concept of the Charioteer has been passed to the future. Even if I perish here, that concept shall never return to the realm of light]
[Everything needed for a truly wonderful future—here it is realized]
The Charioteer’s gentle voice slowly faded away.
And Annan returned to his original era.
This mont.
Only seven days had elapsed since Annan left this world.
Kafney stood alone in Noah’s garden.
Amid a sea of silver-purple flowers, she gazed at the sun, lost in thought.
Soon, her pupils brimd with tears.
Even she did not know whether it was the sunlight stinging her eyes or sothing else.
At that mont, she suddenly heard the sound of sothing descending behind her.
Turning around, she was stunned to see—
Annan’s robe, solitary, floating downward from the heavens.
For an instant, Kafney’s mind was completely blank.
She couldn’t comprehend what was happening, her feet planted as though rooted to the ground. She simply stared, motionless, at the unfolding scene.
She couldn’t even summon the will to think about what was happening; all she felt was that the world was distancing itself from her—further and further away...
The next mont, the robe, still retaining so warmth, drifted down to her eye level and wafted toward her, blocking the view of a frozen Kafney, who stood as still as a doll.
"——Staring at the sun isn’t good for your eyes."
A familiar voice sounded from behind the robe.
Kafney’s tears instantly stread uncontrollably.
She threw herself at Annan, embracing him through the robe, wailing loudly.
For a mont, the terror, grievance, and despair akin to falling into hell surged forth.
Just like her age now reflected.
This was the fragile vulnerability of a strong yet truly tender-hearted young girl.
"Just a joke..."
Annan smiled helplessly, wrapping his arms around Kafney: "Don’t be afraid, I triumphed."
"You... you’ve returned..."
Kafney cried uncontrollably, barely managing to stamr.
For the first ti in her life, she wept like this.
Annan gently stroked her hair, fingers threading through the strands.
He raised his gaze toward the sun.
Within his silver-gray pupils, the radiance of hope shimred brilliantly.
"I have returned, carrying a new mission.
"This world must beco even more beautiful.
"More beautiful than a flawless future."
More beautiful than the era without him.
He must ensure happiness for everyone.
That was the earnest anticipation from both past and future.
That was the light shared outward, yet ultimately returned to Annan.
"And now, I truly possess the power to achieve it.
"I vow... never to fall, never to despair, never to forget.
"I shall press forward—until eternity."
(The End)
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