628
Chapter 628
Zeke showed a skeptical expression at Jiemens Apollion’s words.
‘You traveled back in time?’
Only Zeke had regressed using the ‘Irreversible Promised Power’ created by the Elder Dragon and the Great Sage.
However, since Jiemens Apollion was now speaking directly to his future self from the past across timelines, he couldn’t completely deny the possibility.
‘Did Jiemens Apollion also regress like me?’
Through regression, Zeke lived a different life, changed many things, and became the savior who would save the physical world.
However, unlike Zeke, Jiemens Apollion committed the atrocity of summoning the Demon King into his body and betraying countless people who believed in him.
For Zeke, who had struggled to change the past, the betrayal of the regressed Jiemens Apollion was completely incomprehensible.
Then, reading Zeke’s thoughts, Jiemens Apollion continued.
【Zeke Draker, though we both traveled back in time, my case is different from yours.】
‘Different? What do you mean?’
【The concept of time is very complex. Even I, who became a sage, couldn’t grasp all its secrets. The ‘me’ from the original timeline could glimpse the secrets of time after much effort. However, the scope in which I could handle it was very limited.】
Zeke couldn’t quite understand what Jiemens Apollion meant by the ‘me’ from the original timeline.
After thinking briefly, Zeke asked Jiemens Apollion.
‘Jiemens Apollion, are you really the Jiemens Apollion I know?’
The answer came again.
【A fundamental question. Yes and no.】
Zeke furrowed his brow at the characteristically ambiguous sage-like response.
‘What do you mean by yes and no?’
Jiemens Apollion slowly began to answer Zeke’s question.
【It’s not easy to explain. Zeke Draker, I am a being from a different timeline than the treacherous Jiemens Apollion you know. Or rather, I could say I’m from before becoming such a traitor.】
An even more puzzling answer.
However, Zeke had experience crossing timelines several times through Chronos’s power.
He drew his own conclusions from Jiemens Apollion’s answer.
‘Another Jiemens Apollion, not the treacherous one I know. Could it be that there are multiple timelines?’
Jiemens Apollion’s voice echoed again.
【That’s right, Zeke Draker. Strictly speaking, I am Jiemens Apollion who existed in an earlier timeline.】
He paused briefly before continuing.
【In the original timeline where I existed, Chronos did not perish. I passed the throne to the Sword Saint Sethon Draker who inherited the Hero King’s will, and I sought to become a sage who pursued truth, following in the Great Sage’s footsteps.】
Zeke couldn’t help but be surprised at Jiemens Apollion’s words.
Another timeline that no longer exists.
This was something entirely different from the Lost Time Fragments that referred to vanished civilizations of the past.
‘Then in your timeline, does that mean the Second Demon King didn’t descend to the physical world?’
Jiemens Apollion answered Zeke’s words.
【That’s right. I, who inherited the Great Sage’s will, took on the role of guardian managing the sealed Demon King’s soul. In my timeline, there was no resurrection of the Demon King.】
A world without the second and third Demon King’s resurrection.
A world where the Liberation War, the Evil Dragon Bahamut, and the Dragon Slayer Terakan Draker didn’t exist.
‘To think such a timeline existed…’
But Zeke felt something strange hearing Jiemens Apollion’s words.
‘If the Demon King didn’t resurrect, why did you travel back in time?’
Jiemens Apollion fell silent for a moment at Zeke’s question.
He continued speaking as if in pain.
【The original timeline where I existed was destroyed. Completely.】
Zeke couldn’t help but be surprised at Jiemens Apollion’s words.
‘What do you mean the timeline was destroyed?’
【Exactly what I said. The world where I existed met its end, and nothing remained. Because ‘Ragnarok’, the end of all things, came.】
‘The end of the world, Ragnarok?’
Zeke mulled over the word ‘Ragnarok’ that Jiemens Apollion mentioned.
It was a word that even Zeke, who could use the Akashic Code and knew more hidden secrets than anyone, had never heard before.
Then suddenly a message appeared before Zeke’s eyes.
[Received memories of the vanished timeline from ‘The Final Sage’.]
[The fragments of the vanished timeline connect to the Akashic Code.]
[Large amount of karma data is being updated.]
[Obtained information about 'End of the World' through this data.]
[System restriction codes related to this information are being released.]
[Restrictions related to the End of the World, Ragnarok are being lifted.]
[Final scenario mode unlocked due to conditions being met.]
[Final Chapter Scenario―Chapter of the End is now open.]
―Final Chapter Scenario (Ragnarok)―
[Stop Ragnarok, the end of the world, and save the physical world.]
[Final Chapter Scenario Reward: Master Code of the Physical World]
Zeke's expression hardened as he saw the message appear.
'Final Chapter Scenario, Ragnarok.'
Literally, a scenario about the end of the world had appeared.
Zeke recalled how Harvey Draker kept talking about the 'final stage.'
'Harvey Draker, did he know about this Ragnarok, the end of the world?'
Then Jiemens Apollion's voice was heard again.
【Zeke Draker, I ultimately couldn't stop the end that occurred in my timeline.】
Zeke expressed doubt at these words.
'If the Demon King didn't resurrect in your timeline, then who exactly led the world to its end?'
The Demon King was the only being with the purpose of destroying the physical world.
The other constellations merely wanted to extract large amounts of karma from the physical world, at most repeatedly erasing and recreating civilizations by their own will.
Jiemens Apollion answered Zeke's question.
【It's the opposite. Because the Demon King didn't resurrect... my timeline met its end.】
Zeke's eyes widened at his answer.
'You're saying the end happened because the Demon King didn't resurrect?'
For Zeke, it was incomprehensible that the Demon King, who he thought would bring about the world's end, was instead the key to preventing it.
【When my timeline met its end, I chose the final method.】
'Did you use the Elder Dragon's irreversible promised power that allows time travel?'
Jiemens Apollion answered his words.
【That wasn't the Elder Dragon's power. It was the ultimate ten-class magic that I created as the Final Sage.】
'You're saying the irreversible promised power was created by you?'
【Yes. Using that power, I returned to a timeline before the end occurred, to the past Chronos.】
Jiemens Apollion paused as if organizing his thoughts, then continued.
【But there was a problem. Because the magic I created wasn't yet complete... my consciousness couldn't fully transfer to my past self.】
Hearing Jiemens Apollion's words, Zeke realized what the principle of regression was.
'So only the consciousness moves to the past, leaving the physical body in the future timeline?'
Instead of answering, Jiemens Apollion continued his explanation.
【The 'me' in the past timeline who received the incomplete consciousness transfer was left with only fear of the world's end, with the causal relationships omitted.】
At those words, Zeke realized something.
'Could it be that Jiemens Apollion summoning the Demon King into his body was...?'
【...Yes, I was aware that the Demon King's power was the only key to stopping the end. But because I tried to absorb the Demon King's power without proper memories and consciousness, the 'me' of this timeline was instead absorbed by the Demon King's soul.】
Zeke sighed hearing Jiemens Apollion's words.
'To think that traveling back in time to prevent the end failed due to an incomplete regression...'
Though hard to believe, certain aspects made sense.
Zeke realized this must have been what Chronos hadn't managed to tell him among her messages.
'Did Chronos know about this?'
Jiemens Apollion answered Zeke's question.
【Yes, she, the Dragon of Time, noticed my abnormal state caused by the corrupted consciousness from the incomplete regression.】
In the final war, Jiemens Apollion barely managed to convey the whole story to Chronos.
Chronos informed the Great Sage about Jiemens Apollion's condition, and ultimately, contrary to the initial plan, he decided to sacrifice his soul to seal the Demon King's soul back in the Book of the Dead.
【The Great Sage, my master, decided to separate and seal the Demon King's soul and my corrupted soul. So master sacrificed their own soul to hold the Demon King's soul, and during that time, sealed my corrupted soul in this Infinite Library.】
He calmly continued.
【Afterward, based on my transferred memories, Chronos worked with the Elder Dragon to perfect the 'irreversible promised power' and placed it in a relic using the power of the Three Divine Artifacts. That eventually passed on to you.】
Zeke never imagined such a hidden story lay behind Jiemens Apollion.
'So in the end, you traveled back in time and resurrected the Demon King to prevent the world's end.'
【That would be the conclusion. Anyway, Zeke Draker, there's something you need to know. That is...】
But then at that moment.
KIIIIIING!
The spatial domain that had stopped time began to resonate.
Then Jiemens Apollion's voice became urgent.
【The karma limit has already come. Listen carefully to my words, Zeke Draker.】
He delivered his final message to Zeke.
【What leads to the end of the world is????????. ...... You must stop this...... Demon King's soul...... key...... Arthur Draker...... twisted causality......】
Jiemens Apollion's smooth speech was cut off, and words in between were hard to hear.
Above all, the name of the one leading to the end that Jiemens Apollion spoke of could not be perceived at all.
It was as if this world did not yet allow the recognition of that name.
KIIIIIING!
As the resonance began again, the spatial domain that had stopped time gradually decreased.
Jiemens Apollion spoke to Zeke one last time.
【Please...... you...... the future......】
WOOOOOONG!
Along with those words, Zeke felt the complete absorption of Jiemens Apollion's soul and power that had been transferred and purified within his body.
A message appeared before Zeke's eyes.
[By the unique authority '???', you will completely absorb the power of ‘The Last Sage’ and ‘The Fallen King of Impiety’ Jiemens Apollion.]
[According to the will of The Last Sage and The Fallen King of Impiety Jiemens Apollion, that power is transferred to the constellation One Who Crossed the Wall.]
[You have acquired the unique authority 'Madness' of The Fallen King of Impiety Jiemens Apollion.]
[You have acquired the unique domain 'Room of Time' of The Last Sage.]
[You have completely inherited the power of The Last Sage and The Fallen King of Impiety.]
[Your soul rank has increased by absorbing the soul of The Last Sage and The Fallen King of Impiety Jiemens Apollion.]
Zeke felt that he had absorbed all of Jiemens Apollion's power and his soul rank had risen.
'Have I absorbed the Sage's power and part of the Demon King's power?'
Perhaps because he had completely absorbed even the Demon King's power, more points were filled than the karma points spent for purification.
Zeke felt his rank grow more than when he had absorbed the soul of the Arrogant Savior.
With that, Jiemens Apollion's voice was completely cut off, and the spatial domain that had stopped time completely disappeared.
Simultaneously, Harvey Draker, who had been frozen, let out a terrible scream and rushed toward Zeke.