Vastarael couldn't help but let out a short, dry chuckle at Greshina's words.
"I should've known," he muttered, shaking his head slightly. "A trick... I expected something like this. But it's all out war, huh? You want me to wage it? To use the Submerged Centaurs to kill the Frozen God?"
Greshina only smiled, the corners of her lips curling up slightly.
"It's not a trick, Vastarael. It's the only way. An all-out war. You fight. You win. That's the only solution left to kill the Frozen God. You may think it's simple Vastarael but what you're really being asked to do is far from easy. The price of victory... is high. So don't mistake it for simplicity."
Before he could respond, the ground beneath them seemed to shudder. The once gentle breeze picked up, swirling violently around them. Vastarael's eyes widened, his senses sharpening as the very air vibrated with an unsettling intensity.
"It's time for me to leave," she said softly, almost as if speaking to herself. "The moment is passing. I'll be gone soon."
Vastarael watched as she got closer, her gaze never leaving his. For a split second, it seemed as though the world had paused before Greshina pulled him close. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and before he could say anything, she kissed him.
It wasn't the kind of kiss he had expected from her, but there was no denying its intensity. Her lips pressed against his with a strange tenderness, then pulled away just as quickly as they had met. She licked her lips slowly, her eyes watching him with a faint, almost mischievous glint.
"This is how your younger self used to taste like," she mused, almost to herself. "Interesting."
Vastarael stood there, frozen for a moment, the taste of her kiss lingering on his lips, his heart still racing from the unexpected turn of events. His mind was trying to comprehend what had just happened but before he could find the words to respond, a voice interrupted them. The voice was smooth, almost like honey, but there was an undeniable edge to it.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Cheating on me with my past self, Greshina? For shame."
Vastarael's body froze. His heart skipped a beat and his breath caught in his throat. Slowly, he turned to face the source of the voice and when his eyes landed on the figure standing before him, his stomach did a somersault.
Standing there, looking impossibly handsome, was none other than himself.
But not just any version of him. This was a future version of Vastarael, one so strikingly similar to him that it felt like he was staring at a mirror.
The future version was taller, now two meters tall, exuding an aura of confidence and raw power that made Vastarael's heart race in an entirely different way.
He was a Major God.
The man was a reflection of what he could become... or perhaps what he would become. His long hair, though the same shade of curly white looked more refined, swept back in a way that made him appear more... terrifyingly perfect.
His eyes too, mirrored his own—sapphire and golden—but there was an underlying depth in them, as if this version had seen and experienced far more than he ever had.
For a moment, Vastarael could only stare at him. His future self was so impossibly handsome that even his heart started racing.
The fuck? What the hell was going on?
This was too much to process. And the more he looked at this older version of himself, the more unsettling it became.
But the way the future Vastarael stood, with his arms crossed and a faint smirk playing on his lips, suggested something far more serious. He was here and he wasn't going anywhere. Greshina, sensing the tension in the air, turned slowly to face the future version of Vastarael.
"Ah, so you've come, then," she said, her voice cool and indifferent, as if she had been expecting him all along.
Vastarael, still in shock, could hardly form words. All he could do was stare at the man who, for all intents and purposes, was him, future version of himself. The idea was dizzying and the strange feeling that had settled in his chest only deepened.
"So... this is my future self, huh? Hey dude."
The future Vastarael chuckled softly, his gaze lingering on Greshina for a moment before returning to him.
"Yes. It is," he replied smoothly, his tone laden with a confidence that made Vastarael feel small in comparison. "And if you're smart, you'll listen to what I have to say. This isn't something you can handle alone, little prince. Seriously, was I this weak? A Divine? How the hell did I survive the Frozen God? That man was a menace! You're fucked. You're seriously fucked. No way you're surviving this fight with the Frozen God if you don't step it up."
Vastarael stood there, stunned for a moment.
"Um... you do know that I'm going to fight him before four days are over, right?"
He had to ask, though it felt stupid the moment the words left his mouth. He was facing his future self, the version of him that had endured it all, so if anyone should know the gravity of the situation, it was him.
The future Vastarael raised an eyebrow, a smug smile spreading across his face.
"Oh, I know. I know. But you won't last. I've been there and done that. You have no idea what's coming and you'll find out soon enough. Trust me. I was in your shoes once. And I'm telling you, you're too weak."
The words stung. They cut deeper than Vastarael had expected and for a second, a flash of doubt crept into his mind. Was he really as weak as his future self was saying? He had lived through so much already and yet, here was this older, stronger version of himself, one who seemed to have no faith in him whatsoever.
He was about to respond, maybe defend himself, but then Greshina, who had been silently watching the exchange, finally spoke up. Her voice was softer than her husband's, but still strong enough to demand attention.
"Alright, that's enough," she said, her eyes narrowing slightly as she shot a look at the future Vastarael. "Keep quiet. Don't traumatize your past self."
Future Vastarael rolled his eyes, but there was no denying the truth in Greshina's words. His expression softened slightly, but only for a moment.
"Can't help it. You know how I am. We're gods and he's too weak to do anything about it. And besides... in our Dynasty, he's the weakest of all my lesser subordinates."
He said this last part with a casual shrug, as if it didn't bother him in the slightest.
Vastarael's mouth dropped open in disbelief. He was weak? He wasn't just shocked by the accusation; he was offended.
"Wait a minute. Did you just call me... weak?"
The future Vastarael looked at him with almost condescending pity.
"You heard me. I know what I was back then. And I know what you are now. Trust me, kid. The only reason you're going to make it through this is because time's already stacked the deck in your favor. But don't get used to it. You'll die before I ever do. And let me tell you... it's gonna hurt."
The sting of his words hit deep, but Vastarael clenched his fists.
"What the hell, man? How the hell is that fair?"
He wasn't sure who he was asking—his future self or Greshina—but the injustice of it all was starting to boil over. Greshina sighed, clearly irritated by her husband's bluntness, though she didn't seem surprised.
"Vastarael, you know how it is with time. Your future self is a product of everything you're going to go through. But don't let him get to you. He's right, though. You have a long way to go before you're strong enough to become a God. But you're stronger than you think."
The future Vastarael snorted, clearly unamused by Greshina's attempt to comfort his present self.
"Ha. 'Stronger than you think.' That's cute. Look, kid, I'm telling you right now, Thyrexxa can't do shit to me anymore. I'm a Timeless now. You know what that means, right? It means I'm a true Vessel of Time, and she can't boss me around. She can't touch me anymore. Not like she used to."
The words hit Vastarael like a thunderclap. His mind struggled to keep up with the sudden flood of information, but one thing was clear: his future self was untouchable now.
The idea of being a Timeless—a Vessel of Time—was as overwhelming as it was surreal. How the hell did this future version of him get so powerful? And what did it mean for his own future?
"Wait... so you're saying... you're untouchable now?"
The future Vastarael gave him a knowing smirk, as if the answer was obvious.
"That's... almost right. Most Nexuses can't harm me because of Asenane though. Time's on my side now, and I've earned that right. But you? You still have a long way to go. So get ready. You're going to need everything you've got to make it out of this alive. Because, trust me... your time is coming."
Vastarael didn't respond. He stood there, his mind swirling with more questions than he could handle. The future had become infinitely more complicated in a matter of minutes and now, all he could do was brace himself for whatever the hell was coming next.
"So, you're saying... I'll survive?"
The future Vastarael smirked.
"You will... but at what cost? You still remember your Destiny, right? That is worse than your fate. In fact, your Destiny is ten times worse than your fate. You will suffer so much that... damn. You're too young now. At least the cosmic horror bodies of Erna's adopted kids intensified your mental strength. Otherwise, you would have been so insane that..."
He stopped for a moment before he decided not to continue.
"I'll not give you spoilers. You already know too much anyway. Now then, time for me to give you the command word for my stone robot centaurs."