Chapter 113: The First Meeting of the Wheel of Fate
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 113: The First Meeting of the Wheel of Fate
At this moment, in a hidden space deep beneath the Imperial Palace.
Brandon sat in the seat of honor. Around him were Roland, Thanatos, Strife... and a newcomer.
`[Taro Ball Is Not Round Lv.50]`
Seeing that the key figures had arrived, Brandon spoke.
"Everyone here belongs to the Wheel of Fate. This is our first collective meeting, so please feel free to share your thoughts and get to know one another."
As he spoke, Brandon glanced at the other empty seats.
Aside from Atoris and Edward, who needed to remain at their posts in the Aodu Empire, the others were still on their way.
However, there was a certain little one who had snuck out thinking they hadn't been noticed—but that was a story for another time.
"Once the others arrive, we can formally draft our next course of action. Before that, I need to learn more about this young brother here."
Seeing Brandon point toward him, Taro Ball thought for a moment before standing up.
"Um... you can call me Taro Ball. That is indeed my real name. I have only one goal in coming here: I hope you can assist me in becoming the Child of Fate on the Traveler-side."
The moment he finished speaking, the room fell into a dead silence.
Strife leaned over and nudged Taro Ball.
"Hey... brother, you didn't mention anything about this before..."
Clap.
Brandon gave a light, solitary clap, breaking the silence.
"As expected, no one who makes it into this room is a nobody. Young man, your first words are about tampering with fate. I wonder what justification you can offer to support us helping you fulfill this dream?"
Facing Brandon’s inquiry, Taro Ball spoke up.
"The position for the Traveler-side Child of Fate is currently vacant. It will take at least thirty days for the rightful one to return. We can seize this position before then. Furthermore, my talent is Reverse Analysis. I can utilize many different types of power, making me a suitable candidate for this role."
Brandon pondered Taro Ball's explanation for a moment.
"Then can you explain further why we should choose you instead of waiting thirty days for that Child of Fate?"
Taro Ball replied nonchalantly.
"It’s simple. Because the Traveler who is about to return is the very same Cult Leader of Chaos you know so well."
Once again, the atmosphere in the room turned heavy and silent.
Taro Ball continued, "Mr. Thanatos should be aware of the secret that the Cult Leader of Chaos possesses more than one body. Each body is equipped with an extremely rich array of abilities. One of those bodies holds the qualifications of a Traveler and was placed in a different space-time. Once that body returns to the present world, it will merge with the others, becoming a powerful existence with an immense reservoir of strength."
Taro Ball paused for a beat.
"By then, what you will be facing is an entity capable of easily triggering a world-ending disaster. Even if you could destroy him, you would still have to deal with a world on the brink of collapse."
Hearing this, Brandon spoke again.
"And how can you ensure that you are someone worthy of such a trust?"
Taro Ball was well-prepared for the questioning.
"Besides everything I've mentioned, I also know the whereabouts of the other two Knights."
The moment he said this, Thanatos responded on Brandon's behalf.
"Very well. After this meeting ends, tell me your plan directly. I will help you implement it."
Seeing that no one else objected, Taro Ball gave a slight nod.
"Understood."
With that, Taro Ball sat back down.
Aside from himself, everyone present was a terrifying existence far stronger than he was. Even Roland, who had the lowest level among the others, was the most powerful Alchemist of this era.
In comparison, his mere Level 50 made him seem exceptionally weak.
But in this specific setting, his weakness actually worked in his favor. Given the massive gap in combat power, Taro Ball couldn't possibly lie to them without being caught, which saved him a lot of trouble in explaining himself.
Once Taro Ball’s matter was settled, Brandon spoke again.
"Next, I would like to invite Master Roland to present his plan. Incidentally, this is also the deal I just reached with him."
Following Brandon’s introduction, Roland stood up.
"I’ll keep it brief. I hope everyone here can help me return to the World Tree to sever the Rule Branch associated with the Alchemist's shackles."
Like Taro Ball, Roland’s request was far from simple. Severing a Rule Branch of the World Tree was even more direct and violent than Taro Ball’s request to replace a Child of Fate.
Hearing Roland’s request, Strife looked puzzled.
"I’ve heard of the World Tree, but what on earth are these 'Alchemist's shackles'?"
Roland answered, "As early as a hundred years ago, I touched the limits of modern Alchemy and saw the legendary World Tree. Based on what I saw, I learned that these shackles were set by the True Gods thirty million years ago. Back then, Alchemy was so prosperous that it gave mortals the capital to contend with the True Gods. For this reason, the True Gods locked the upper limit of Alchemists within the World Tree, ensuring they could never break through to become a Demigod. Eventually, they even pushed this limit down further."
According to Roland’s explanation, if translated into game rules, it meant that Alchemists had been slapped with a restriction that prevented them from breaking past Level 90.
This was why Roland, the world's strongest Alchemist, was only Level 89.
Originally, this shackle was supposed to be a challenge left for Edward. As the designated core protagonist of the original world, he was bound to come into contact with the secrets of this world. Combined with Edward’s extreme talent, once he successfully resolved this challenge, the opportunities he encountered afterward would surely have sent him soaring, making him the most prominent of the nine Children of Fate.
However, under Xie Bai’s forceful interference, all of that had been thoroughly disrupted.
The challenge originally intended for Edward had been co-opted by Xie Bai’s Wheel of Fate as part of their plan.
Following Roland’s explanation of the shackles, Taro Ball spoke up.
"It just so happens that my plan also requires a trip to the World Tree. Why don't we handle them together? What do you think, Mr. Thanatos?"
Thanatos nodded at Taro Ball’s request.
"That works."
With that, Thanatos looked toward Brandon.
"I will lead the team for these matters. If nothing goes wrong, the World Tree should still be located at the base of Heavenly Mountain. When you made the deal with Roland, you must have taken this into account, right? After all, this allows you to maximize the benefits of conquering the Holy Church."
Brandon nodded slightly at Thanatos’s inquiry.
"Indeed. Besides, your infiltration of the Holy Church should be nearly complete. Everything is almost ready. I intend to launch the crusade against the Holy Church after that lord returns. After all, they are backed by the Angel Race and have thirty million years of heritage. Destroying them will be no easy feat. I’ll feel more at ease with that lord backing us up."
Brandon sat back in his seat.
"Alright, we’ve finished explaining the confidential matters. Next, we need to formulate a detailed plan of action. It’s perfect timing—the others have arrived."