"A new Divine Authority... is it?"
Ron looked at the text on the light screen, a thoughtful expression on his face, and his mood couldn't help but improve.
In truth, Ron had long anticipated that his control over the [Destruction] Path would increase due to his actions. He knew that acts where the Paths intersected would inevitably cause the core Primum Mobiles of these two Paths to begin unifying. This was also the only way he could completely master the [Destruction] Path...
What he hadn't expected, however, was that after increasing his control over the [Destruction] Path, he would even receive a Divine Authority like this—it was a truly unexpected boon.
To be honest, while none of the Divine Authorities Ron had obtained since his ascension to the station of the [Salvation] Aeon in this simulation could be considered weak—even the "Vow of Vengeance" that Herta acquired by killing a Lord Ravager and usurping a fragment of the [Destruction] Path after his death was formidable—
But now, all the Divine Authorities Ron had previously obtained paled in comparison to "Pest Control."
This Divine Authority was truly worthy of being a fearsome power born from the intersection of the "Sword of Salvation's" extreme tendency and the [Destruction] Path, taking another leap forward from its peak. The faction that could be established after obtaining it, the "Galaxy Guardians," was simply on a level that the "Sword of Salvation" could not even compare to.
Setting aside the cost-free 300% base attribute increase for the "Galaxy Guardians," the most abstract aspects—the fixed ideology and immunity to mental influence—had already elevated their worth to an unshakable level...
After all, this was a will that not even another Aeon could change. It was a fundamental ability that could truly guarantee their ideals would never waver, that they would forever maintain their disdain for evil and their steadfast devotion to [Salvation].
Moreover, with the ability to quantify sin, there was no need to worry about them wrongly accusing the innocent, allowing them to truly become the guardians of this star ocean...
Ron stroked his chin thoughtfully. Although this new Divine Authority still maintained the characteristic extremity of the "Sword of Salvation" tendency—merciless toward evil, harboring intense anger and destructive desires, which coincided perfectly with the [Destruction] Path—Ron no longer worried that the followers of the [Salvation] Path would be corrupted by it, falling from grace under the oath of [Salvation]...
After all, he had thought that way before because he was already dead and powerless to restrain the events of this simulation or manage all the Pathstriders within it.
But now he had returned. Even if this Divine Authority was extremely potent, it was still held firmly in his own hands. He was confident he could be a proper [Salvation] Aeon, and he could naturally manage everything that happened to his Pathstriders...
As Ron thought this, the text on the light screen faded, and a new scene appeared:
In the scene, Ron was withdrawing from the galaxy where the two Xianzhou flagships and the Borisin had been locked in a fierce battle. He held the lantern in his hand, his expression calm and serene, as if nothing had happened.
But anyone who looked at Ron now could feel that the originally conflicting aura about him had suddenly become more harmonious. It was as if the once-distinct Yin and Yang had now blended like water and milk, merging into a mutually embracing Taiji. His entire being had become much more congruous.
The Aeons who had originally called Ron back from death had not left the moment he returned. They remained where they were, their postures unchanged—
The Jester still held his rapier, the Amber Lord still raised his great hammer. The gods did not lower their hands simply because Ron had returned. Only after seeing the Paths harmonize under Ron's control did they gently release their hold.
At that moment, the chilling air instantly receded, and the hazy mist gradually dissipated, no longer shrouding the battlefield where the gods stood. It revealed the completely extinguished dead planet, Adlivun, below.
On the horizon, the majestic Emperor composed of mirror fragments retreated with dignity. In a mere instant, he vanished into the mist, the scattered brilliance refracting from his body dimming, as silent and tranquil as the Aeon himself.
He froze the nebulous mist, dissolving the boundary between himself, time, and space. He flowed like water into the long river of time, carried back by the current to his palace where he gathers memories, once again taking his seat upon the frozen throne.
And at this moment, the assimilating harmony shifted to another cosmic symphony. The three-headed Aeon revealed an affable smile, nodding lightly towards the black-robed Jester. The Jester bowed slightly in a polite response.
He, too, returned the nod before stepping onto a carpet woven from the colors of a myriad stars, beginning his journey home.
His steps were proud and elegant, carrying the music with him as he gradually moved away. The stars themselves seemed to leap with his steps and the music, as if playing in concert, or perhaps singing a chorus for the curtain call.
Following that, the golden colossus folded its broad arms.
As he withdrew his hammer, a dull tremor emanated from his body. The headless giant seemed to be saying something, but clearly, only those familiar with him could discern his will, and only those to whom he wished to reveal his intent could hear his words...
Ron was not yet among their number. He could only hear the muffled sound of massive rocks colliding on the giant's body and the "gurgle" as it sank into magma. He watched as the seemingly endless rain of minerals on the horizon ceased. It was only when the final opal landed on the Jester's head and bounced off that he realized [The Preservation] Qlipoth had departed in that instant.
The next moment, he heard an extremely long, deep hammer strike echo from the edge of the universe, proving where [The Preservation] Qlipoth was now—
He had already returned to the edge of the Star Ocean, his great hammer already smashing against the uncompleted bulwark, continuing his grand undertaking of wall-building that had lasted for who knows how many millennia...
After they had left one after another, the thousand eyes on the body of the merciful healer fell upon Ron. Wreathed in verdant rain and mist and a brilliant golden radiance, He strode to Ron's side. The branch held in his hand swept across Ron's body, gently leaving behind His blessing.
Then, He departed upon the clouds and mist, continuing to roam with the entire Star Ocean as his boundary, wandering through the vast expanse of stars, sowing his glory among all the worlds.
Although that blessing for Ron was of no consequence to an Aeon, it was enough to demonstrate the friendliness of [The Abundance] Yaoshi—
He was, thus far, the only one willing to offer Ron a greeting upon departure. Until now, it seemed only He had acknowledged Ron's station as an Aeon, expressing His goodwill...
Finally, the black-robed Jester stepped forward. His face was hidden in profound darkness; not even the lantern in Ron's hand could illuminate his features. The light was simply swallowed whole by the darkness shrouding his face, maintaining his absolute mystery.
[The Elation] Aha sheathed his rapier. A chuckling voice emerged from beneath his cloak, and along with it, a deck of playing cards suddenly materialized in his hand:
"Aha! How does it feel to be back? Seeing you so fired up, how about a game of poker to soothe your nerves?"
His voice was tinged with a hint of banter. The deck of cards flickered before him like a phantom, drawn and shuffled by an invisible hand with exquisite skill. Finally, it was cut into two neat stacks, and one stack was offered to Ron.
The scene on the light screen paused, and a new option box appeared:
[Your actions have earned the recognition of the gods. They know their scheme has succeeded, and they have thoroughly erased an enemy...]
[But is this newly summoned one an ally? They are not certain, but they have their suspicions.]
[After all, they were never of the same faction. The only reason they acted together this time was because someone brought them together, forming a death trap aimed at [Destruction] Nanook...]
[And now, the architect of this death trap is drawing a deck and dealing you in, extending an invitation—]
[Will you play a 'hand' with Him?]
[1. Accept the card game.]
[You don't know what [The Elation] Aha truly wants, but it's clear it won't be a simple game of poker...]
[Although you are unsure of his intentions, since he has already invited you, you see no reason to refuse—]
[After all, he just pulled you back from death. You naturally have complete trust in your benefactor.]
[You decide to accept this game and see what [The Elation] Aha is truly up to.]
[Selecting this option will trigger the event: "A God's Card Game."]
[2. Refuse the card game.]
[[The Elation] Aha has always been whimsical. Even as a fellow Aeon, you have no way of figuring out his thoughts or his currently playful state of mind—]
[He might genuinely just want to play a game of poker to conclude the divine battle, but you clearly have no interest in playing cards.]
[Your time should be spent on more important matters.]
[You decide to refuse this game and temporarily part ways with [The Elation] Aha.]
[Selecting this option will trigger the event: "Ignorance is Bliss."]
Looking at the options on the screen, Ron scratched his head, a trace of doubt rising within him.
"A card game... Hmm, that's something [The Elation] Aha would do. But aren't the events being triggered a bit strange?"
"'Ignorance is Bliss'... Does that mean playing this card game with [The Elation] Aha will reveal some strange information that will cause the future to take a turn for the worse?"
Ron stroked his chin thoughtfully and, without hesitation, clicked on option one.
This clearly didn't require much thought... The simulation was meant for trial and error. This simulation's run had technically already ended; it was only through the maneuvering of [The Elation] Aha and Herta that he could continue. Trying something out came at no loss.
If he could obtain some important information, it wouldn't matter if this simulation collapsed again. After all, the intelligence would be in his hands, a net gain...
With this in mind, Ron looked at the light screen with anticipation—
What kind of heavyweight news would it be? Information that an entity like [The Elation] Aha would have to convey through a roundabout method like a card game, and information that, once known, would cause the future of an Aeon like himself to turn for the worse?
Ron was very curious.
At this moment, the option box on the light screen faded, and the scene resumed playing:
In the scene, Ron gave a slight nod and picked up the half-deck of poker cards that [The Elation] Aha had handed him.
But the moment he took the cards into his hand, he immediately realized something was wrong—
The images depicted on the poker cards Aha gave him were not what one would normally find on playing cards...
Instead, they were images that were both familiar and unfamiliar, yet Ron could recognize them as concepts.
A longsword gleaming with incandescent white light, a lantern restraining dark golden sacred fire, a shield emblem engraved with the salvation-rune, a round table council led by a puppet sage...
A golden colossus, a three-headed mother, a thousand-handed healer, a mirror emperor, a dim Enigmata, a cold machine god...
This was no ordinary card game.
The sea of stars was the table, and all living beings were the cards...
[The Elation] Aha wanted to play a card game with Ron to divine the future.