// "Can I take it from here?" //
Snow Mirrorfelt's voice echoed—not loud, but resonant. A cold finality lingered in every word as he stepped forward, passing the battered forms of Arthur and Ibrahim.
Neither could respond.
They merely stood in silence, bloodied and bruised, their gazes locked onto the back of the one who now wore Snow's face but carried an entirely different presence. His steps were calm. Inevitable.
There was no doubt in their hearts—
This being was no longer the Snow they knew.
He was something far greater.
"Y-You...!" Azazellion's voice trembled as his eyes locked onto the figure approaching the battlefield's center.
A chill ran down his spine.
His instincts screamed.
His skin prickled with dread.
Goosebumps clawed up his arms as if begging him to run.
But it was too late.
// "It's been a long time... Azazellion." //
Snow Mirrorfelt's gaze rose to the sky, meeting the his stare head-on.
Azazellion hovered in midair, but for the first time... he didn't look untouchable. His bravado cracked.
// "You've gotten stronger," // Azazellion muttered with forced confidence, suppressing the primal urge to flee.
// "Finally... a chance to obtain the Key." //
His lips curled into a twisted smile, but behind it was fear barely masked.
Snow Mirrorfelt closed his eyes for a brief moment.
// "I apologize," // he said softly.
// "But the Key is already mine." //
// "You... are just a shadow of the distant past." //
Then, he moved.
It wasn't a fighting stance—it was a final stance.
A pose of closure.
A farewell.
*// "I entrust Twilight to you, Starlight." //* he whispered
His eyes glistened—not with fear, but sorrow. The weight of parting. A farewell to the blade that had stood beside him through countless wars.
As if understanding, Twilight began to dissolve.
Light engulfed the black blade, and it began merging into Starlight, the process illuminating the skies. For a heartbeat, the entire nation was blinded by divine radiance.
The blades—once separate in form—now pulsed as one.
The fusion complete, Starlight had evolved. Its dual nature remained: black and white, cosmos and light, death and creation. But now... it carried new energy. New skills. New purpose.
Snow Mirrorfelt lifted the blade skyward.
Starlight responded.
It shimmered—not with ordinary light, but with the essence of space and time.
From every sealed dimensional crack across the battlefield, streams of luminous energy curved and converged—drawn like moths to flame.
"YOU FOOL!" Azazellion shouted, his voice shaking.
"Are you using a Descent?!"
His eyes widened in horror as Snow Mirrorfelt remained calm, letting the divine resonance climb.
The Archdemon unsheathed his own weapon in panic. He no longer carried the confidence of a predator—he now looked like prey.
DING!
[UNKNOWN DESCENT HAS BEGUN: CLASS — UNKNOWN]
DING!
[You have defeated 25 Mini Stage Bosses]
DING!
[You have absorbed 15,000 souls for Descent]
DING!
[You have absorbed 45,000 souls for Descent]
DING!
[You have absorbed 15,000 souls for Descent]
DING!
[PATHFINDER has detected a PATHWAY]
DING!
[PATHFINDER has activated: STRIKE POINT PATHWAY]
DING!
[100% Success Rate Confirmed]
As the final strike pathway connected, Snow Mirrorfelt's vision shifted.
A luminous cross—both vertical and horizontal—appeared across Azazellion's body.
It was his end.
The divine line of death had already been drawn.
Starlight now radiated with unbearable brilliance.
Its length grew. Its edge hummed.
Every soul devoured by the Descent poured into the blade, expanding its potential beyond what any mortal or god could fathom.
DING!
[PATHFINDER has created: FIELD OF SOLITUDE]
DING!
[UNKNOWN DESCENT has descended]
Reality bent.
A barrier unlike any seen before enclosed both Snow and Azazellion.
It was seamless. Indestructible.
It would not vanish until one of them ceased to exist.
The world outside held its breath.
It knew this would be no battle.
It would be an extinction.
Then it happened.
A single heartbeat.
Both Snow and Azazellion unleashed their Descent.
The clash shattered the barrier—not entirely, but enough to send tremors across continents. Cracks snaked across its surface like broken glass.
The ocean surged. The skies dimmed.
Those closest to the field were hurled away—thrown like ragdolls into the sea by a shockwave that could no longer be contained.
The barrier, unable to restrain their godlike fury, crumbled.
And from within...
Smoke poured out.
Cold. Silent.
Like a freezer door creaking open—revealing nothing but stillness.
Snow stood silently amid the dissipating smoke, his sword still raised in the same final striking posture.
But his consciousness was long gone.
His body remained upright, unmoving, like a statue carved by the heavens themselves—yet it was clear he had collapsed inward.
Across from him, nothing remained of Azazellion.
Only scattered embers...
Ashes scattered on the wind.
And then—something shimmered.
From the remains of the his form, a small, radiant object resembling a star detached and drifted toward Snow. With a gentle hum, it was absorbed directly into his chest.
DING
[PATHFINDER has closed all pathways—except one.]
DING
[PATHFINDER connection with the Forgotten Will is now active.]
DING
[User has fulfilled all requirements.]
DING
[PATHFINDER has frozen all rights belonging to the user.]
DING
[All skills sealed.]
DING
[PATHFINDER has detected a fragment key to succession.]
DING
[All keys of succession have been merged—except one.]
DING
[Awaiting approval of the final Key of Succession...]
DING
[Beginning system update...]
DING
[PATHFINDER Update Countdown: 105:15:00]
DING
[Congratulations, User.]
DING
[System has forcefully activated: Last Will.]
DING
[Inheritance in progress...]
His body finally collapsed forward.
Within moments, the battlefield flooded with people—those who had witnessed the battle, those who had only heard the tremor, and those who could still feel the echo of Snow's Descent in their very bones.
They all knew.
He had ended it.
Azazellion had fallen.
Lola was the first to reach him.
She dropped to her knees beside his unconscious body, panic and grief overtaking her calm. Behind her, the Ice Queen arrived—her composed expression faltering as she surveyed Snow's collapsed form.
Together, they led the emergency effort.
But nothing worked.
Not healing magic.
Not elixirs.
Not even divine potions blessed by the Church of the overseed by the ORACLE.
He was moved immediately to the Texas headquarters of the Hunter Association—where the most advanced clinic awaited him.
And still... he did not wake.
For five hours, the world was chaos.
Two continents were wiped from the map.
Casualties: over 100 million.
The largest global summit in history was convened within the day—an emergency gathering to honor the man who had faced a calamity... and survived.
Snow Mirrorfelt was placed in isolation by the order of the ORACLE—hidden in a sealed chamber at the top of the Hunter Association's HQ tower.
A single bed.
Curtains drawn over every window.
Only five individuals were permitted to enter: the Ice Queen, Lola, Arthur, Theresa... and Ibrahim.
Snow lay comatose for four days.
On the fifth, he was scheduled to be honored.
But on that fifth day... something shifted.
In the void of his mind, far removed from the waking world, Snow wandered.
No body.
No sensation.
Only drifting.
It was a realm that belonged only to his soul and spirit—a place even time dared not disturb.
Then—
A voice, cold and sharp, shattered the silence.
/// "You're disappointing in every possible way. Especially considering... you're me from a different timeline." ///
Snow turned.
Seated on a massive throne forged from shattered steel and fractured memories... was himself. But different.
The figure had black hair—unkempt, ragged. His body was covered in scars, wrapped in worn-out bandages like an old warrior past his prime. His aura radiated death and experience—a world's worth of it.
Beside him sat a masked woman, her lower face revealed, her presence unsettling.
Snow stepped back, instinctively wary.
"...Who are you?"
The man on the throne scoffed.
/// "I am Snow Mirrorfelt." ///
/// "A failure. The one who couldn't save his world." ///
His voice was bitter, heavy with regret, yet unyielding.
/// "And behind me are those before me" /// he said and upon his words revealed astral forms of various snow from all timelines which faded afterwards
His clothes were torn, coated in ash and dried blood—each stitch and thread carrying the burden of a world that had already ended.
"You... you're from my memories," Snow murmured, recognition dawning in his eyes.
The older Snow paused.
/// "A fool indeed." ///
/// "You should've realized by now... those memories aren't just mine." ///
/// "They're fragments from every Snow across infinite timelines." ///
Snow's breath caught in his throat.
/// "Why do you think the Crescent Moon allowed you to wield it against Asmodeus?" ///
There was silence.
Snow had no answer.
The man continued.
/// "I'll admit... you're the only one who managed to defeat Asmodeus." ///
/// "And you even inherited Excalibur. Impressive." ///
/// "But what a shame... to wield PATHFINDER in such a pathetic way." ///
Snow flinched.
"...Pathfinder?" he repeated. "Isn't it just... a skill? One that maps the way forward?"
The figure stood now, eyes narrowing.
/// "Not entirely wrong." ///
/// "But PATHFINDER'S true power lies not in desire—but in will." ///
/// "And your desires have twisted its purpose. Bent it into something it was never meant to become." /// Snow said nothing. He couldn't.
Because even if he didn't understand...Somewhere deep within, he felt it.
The truth.
/// "Your desires... especially towards women." ///
The voice rang out, sharp and unyielding.
/// "You've been hurt twice. Used. Abandoned." ///
/// "And yet, despite all of it... your family still lives. Still breathes." ///
/// "And you walk around as if none of it matters—you are carefree—while the world barrels toward its own end." ///
Snow flinched.
He looked up at the man on the throne—this version of himself—and scowled.
"So that's it?" he said, voice low. "You're just like the rest... Trying to shove responsibility down my throat?"
Disappointment creased his brow as he glared at his alternate self.
The throne-bound Snow laughed bitterly.
/// "Wow... hearing that come out of my own mouth—I genuinely want to slap myself." ///
/// "You've misunderstood everything." ///
/// "You think this was all about choice? About your desires?" ///
/// "Your life was never yours to begin with." ///
/// "It stopped being yours the moment one of your parents died." ///
Snow's eyes widened.
/// "That tragedy... it was never coincidence." ///
/// "It was the trigger—meant to ignite your purpose." ///
/// "And that purpose... was to prevent the death of the world." ///
/// "Every version of us faced the Zodiac Avatars." ///
/// "Every one of us faced Chronos." ///
/// "And if you think you're not strong enough—then become stronger." ///
His voice was rising now, reverberating throughout the ethereal space like rolling thunder.
/// "Stop whining like a child!" /// he roared, slamming his fist into the throne's arm.
/// "You're the only one of us who received Ukris' Blessing this early... and look at you—completely lost!" ///
Snow couldn't hold it anymore.
"THEN TELL ME WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO!" he shouted, his voice cracking under the weight.
"I'M NOT A FOOL!"
"But how can I do it... with everything falling on me all at once?!"
Tears streamed down his face, his fists clenched in helpless fury.
"I know you think I had it easy," he said, his voice breaking. "Maybe I did."
"But what good is that when I don't even understand the power I've been given?!"
"How do I use a skill that acts on its own?! How do I understand Egos when I can't even tell them apart from ordinary blades?!"
His voice rose again, nearly breaking under emotion.
"Where do I find people who won't leave me once they're stronger?"
"Where are the ones who'll stay?!"
He pounded his chest.
"I did everything the system told me. I followed every path Pathfinder offered. And in the end... it left me with nothing."
His shoulders trembled.
He looked down, defeated.
"Do you know how painful it is... to follow every instruction, only to be discarded?"
"I'm not strong like you."
"I don't have your experience. Or your insight."
"I've only had this ability for three months—and now, in two months, I'm supposed to face someone who can tear the stars apart?!"
Snow fell to his knees.
"I can't do this... I can't even comprehend the weight of this legacy."
Then, in a surge of fury and despair, he stomped the ground—
And the entire space cracked.
The brilliant white void splintered—revealing a deeper darkness beyond.
A realm of swirling stars and eternal night.
His voice rang out through it all.
"TELL ME—HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CARRY THIS?!"
Silence.
For the first time, Snow Mirrorfelt said nothing.
He stared, stunned—not by the power his counterpart had just displayed, but by the rawness of his heart.
The torment. The pressure. The soul behind the burden.
(So... he carries weight too... just like the rest of us...)
(It's all been too much for him...)
The older version closed his eyes.
/// "I see." ///
He stood slowly.
/// "I apologize. I judged you prematurely—without understanding the full extent of your suffering." ///
/// "You've endured more than I thought... and for that, I now acknowledge you." ///
He stepped down from the throne.
The masked woman rose with him, yet silent.
Behind them, the great throne dissolved—scattering into dust and drifting like ashes toward the stars.
The dust swirled... and gathered.
A luminous, star-like object began to form before him as he approached the younger Snow.
/// "The Pathfinder adapts to the user's will—perhaps it crafted a path meant only for you." ///
/// "And with Ukris' Blessing... even I must yield." ///
He stopped in front of Snow.
Between them, the glowing star hovered, its light pulsing with untold power.
/// "With this—the last key—I now name you the Sovereign of All Creation." ///
Snow stared at the light, breath caught in his throat.
/// "This path is yours alone. You will walk it." ///
/// "And to protect what has been created... you must stand against all that would destroy it." ///
/// "This... is your burden—and your right." ///
Then, without warning—
The star slammed into Snow's chest.
"///I hope you don't give up... and that you push through. For the sake of those you still don't want to lose."/// Mirrorfelt's voice softened as he gave one last, gentle smile.
The star's light pulsed warmly in Snow's chest—then began to spread.
As if drawn by the light, the silent woman who had stood behind Mirrorfelt this whole time stepped forward. Her form shimmered, and without a word, she merged with the starlight, her essence entwining with Snow's fading figure.
"///This is my farewell gift to you...So I hope... you'll take care of Twilight and her for me."///
Mirrorfelt's smile lingered as Snow's body dissolved into shimmering fragments, scattering like dust across the void.
Fifth days...
A sharp gasp broke the stillness.
Snow's eyes flew open—wide, disoriented—as if awaking from the depths of a long, chaotic dream. His chest rose sharply, his hands trembling as the weight of memories, emotions, and power came rushing back in one overwhelming surge.
Then, a series of system chimes echoed in his ears.
DING
=========================
PATHFINDER CONNECTION WITH THE FORGOTTEN WILL HAS DISCONNECTED
=========================
DING
=========================
USER HAS FULFILLED ALL REQUIREMENTS
=========================
DING
=========================
PATHFINDER HAS UNFROZEN ALL RIGHTS BELONGING TO THE USER
=========================
DING
=========================
PATHFINDER HAS UNSEALED ALL SKILLS
=========================
DING
=========================
PATHFINDER HAS DETECTED THE USER'S WILL
=========================
DING
=========================
PATHFINDER HAS MERGED ALL EXISTING KEYS TO SUCCESSION
=========================
DING
=========================
PATHFINDER HAS BOUND ITSELF TO THE USER
=========================
DING
=========================
PATHFINDER UPDATE COMPLETED
=========================
DING
=========================
USER HAS ACQUIRED ALL RIGHTS TO THE SYSTEM AS THE NEW SOVEREIGN
=========================
DING
=========================
CONGRATULATIONS. USER HAS BECOME A SOVEREIGN.
=========================
DING
=========================
SYSTEM HAS BOUND ITSELF TO THE USER
=========================
DING
=========================
SYSTEM HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE USER'S RIGHTFUL CLAIM
=========================
DING
=========================
USER HAS SUCCESSFULLY INHERITED ALL WILLS, SKILLS, AND RIGHTS OF ALL PREVIOUS TIMELINES
=========================
DING
=========================
CANON EVENT: [ECLIPSE OF ASCENSION] — COMPLETED
=========================
DING
=========================
ALL REWARDS HAVE BEEN FORCEFULLY STORED IN USER'S INVENTORY
=========================
DING
=========================
ALL SKILLS HAVE BEEN MAXED AND EVOLVED
=========================
DING
=========================
ALL STATS HAVE BEEN MAXED AND FROZEN
=========================
DING
=========================
PATHFINDER HAS CREATED A NEW PATHWAY
=========================
DING
=========================
WOULD YOU LIKE TO WALK THE NEW PATH CREATED?
=========================
Snow blinked slowly.
A blinding flood of data hovered in the air before him, overflowing with numbers, titles, skills, paths, and notices that would have overwhelmed any sane man.
But Snow didn't even bother to read them.
With a single wave of his hand, the cascade of windows vanished.
"..."
He sat up quietly and looked around—his gaze calm, unreadable.
The world was still.
He had returned.
But he was no longer the same.
------------------------------------------------------
To be continued...