On Wednesday, July 22, 675, at 6:30 AM, Gia sat on the balcony of her room, gazing with a calm expression at the sky—a blend of black and gold as the sun began to rise.
A faint smile graced her face, carrying a wealth of unspoken words; the time was drawing near when everything would finally be revealed. For her, these were simple words—the culmination of great patience and long waiting—and tomorrow would be the moment she had been anticipating.
She held a cup of hot coffee in both hands, a smile still on her lips. After taking a small sip, she let out a deep sigh and said in a quiet, composed tone, "Well, well... just a few more hours, I suppose. This is going to be quite interesting."
Taking another sip, she watched the rising sun as it illuminated the world and cast a warm glow across the air, signaling the start of the second day of the Summer Festival.
She rose from her seat and changed her clothes, preparing to wander through the city of Berhais and immerse herself in the atmosphere of the Summer Festival.
A few minutes later, she left her room and headed toward the dining hall for a light bite, before setting off to enjoy the festivities throughout the city of Berhais.
As Gia made her way to the dining hall, she passed by Yuta's private quarters. The door was sealed with several high-level wards—powerful enough to prevent even someone of Yuta's own strength from entering or leaving. She was deeply puzzled by the presence of these seals on the door to Yuta's room. As she reached out to open it—noting that several days had passed with him remaining inside—her confusion only deepened.
Before she could touch the doorknob, however, Chloe stopped her. Chloe's expression was calm—a stark contrast to the childlike behavior she had displayed the last time they met.
The words of the Venerable Lotus Flower, Jihao Yuxuan, suddenly surfaced in her memory:
"Lady Jiya, please try to understand the current situation of Chloe and Madeline. They are not yet fully mature, as time has affected their physical forms more rapidly than their minds. As Yuta mentioned, they were brought into existence from a single word; they simply require time to reach maturity."
"I believe the next three years will be sufficient for them to return to how they once were. That said, they are more dangerous than any entity you might encounter—now or in the future—especially given the destruction that currently dwells in this world alongside you."
The Venerable Lotus Flower, Jihao Yuxuan, had spoken in a calm, measured tone.
Jiya let out a sigh, clearing her mind. Chloe's shift in demeanor was a clear sign that she was maturing as time passed. But would this prove to be a good thing, or a bad one? Only the future would reveal the answer. Chloe spoke in a calm, measured tone, pulling her hand away from Jiya—who, in turn, fixed her with a steady, composed gaze that carried an unmistakable warning: do not attempt to exert authority over her.
"Yuto—or Jiya—the point is, no one is permitted to enter the room of the Venerable Great Creator, Yuto. Understood? He issued this order himself, and it applies to you as well. Since you are in possession of a scroll from the 'Nameless Pavilion,' your proximity to his room has become… dangerous—for you, specifically. Just continue on your way and pretend you heard nothing. All right?"
Jiya held her gaze—her expression outwardly calm, yet masking an involuntary, deep-seated fear. She sensed that something lay within Yuto's room—something capable of plunging the entire world into catastrophe.
Deciding to heed Chloe's advice—recognizing her as a 'Word of Goodness' and an entity embodying a narrative concept—Jiya knew it was impossible for her words to be mere whim; Chloe was surely well aware of the gravity of the situation.
Jiya chose to proceed toward the dining hall, consciously trying to dismiss the matter—framing it in her mind as Yuto's problem alone, one with which she had no connection.
Elsewhere, Chloe watched her for a few moments before turning toward her own quarters, leaving behind Yuto's room—around which she had just reinforced the protective barriers, strengthening them manifold.
As Jiya made her way toward the dining hall, she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. Her face betrayed a mixture of astonishment and shock—or, more accurately, the dawning of a realization:
"How did Chloe know that I had met the 'Nameless One' and obtained a training scroll from the Nameless Pavilion?" Jia could find no explanation for the situation, yet it also felt strangely simple—so, deciding to move on, she continued toward the dining hall.
A few minutes later, she arrived at the dining hall. With a calm expression, she tried to clear her mind of what had just transpired. She took a seat and glanced at her list of resources—a list she hadn't opened since the day she first met "Nameless."
[25 × Legendary-rank Energy Recovery Potion
12 × Legendary-rank Refinement Pill
10 × Legendary-rank Healing Potion
13 × Rank 9 Gu-Forging Scroll
3 × Rank 9 Enslavement Gu
14 × Legendary-rank "100-Move Shun-Kung Arts" Manual
"First Creator's Phone" (Rank: ????)
"Nameless Pavilion Training Scroll" (Rank: ???)
5 × "Fantasy World Demon Gem" (Rank: ???)
"Empress Xiao Yi's Robe" (Rank: ???)
"Author's 'Plot Armor' Message"]
Jia's gaze lingered on the final item on the list, her expression filled with a bewilderment she couldn't quite mask—her left cheek twitching upward toward her eye.
The name of the item was peculiar, yet it felt hauntingly familiar: "Author's Plot Armor." It was a term used to describe when a character survives or triumphs through sheer, illogical convenience—an intervention by an author to assist a character, typically the protagonist or a major lead, when facing the story's villain.
This led her to conclude that the item was connected to something of that very nature. Yet, there was one thing she remained unsure of: what exactly had led to her inclusion on his list of resources?
She tapped the "First Creator's" phone, causing it to materialize in her hand. Upon powering it on, she discovered her own image set as the wallpaper—a detail that left her somewhat bewildered.
Choosing to set that aside for the moment, she turned her attention to the audio recordings—those from the current day and the three days that followed—intending to test the time intervals between each entry.
She played the second recording, her gaze calm and intensely focused, hanging on every syllable from the very beginning through to the end of the final recording.
Then, Bou-Taleb's voice rang out, heavy with a complex, conflicting array of emotions. It left her puzzled, driving a desire to understand what he was going through—and what had brought him to such a state.
February 27, 2027, 2:45 PM, in a neighborhood in the city of Bel-Abbes. I don't know exactly where I am—not that it matters anymore. Why should I even care?
After all, I've been living on the streets for—well, I've lost count since this whole mess began. About a year ago, I suppose? I'm not even sure when this curse started.
I feel like such an idiot for recording my own voice. I see myself as a fool, but... oh, I don't understand anything anymore. I just want some peace. I don't care how death comes, but even that—even death—is something I can't seem to attain.
Aaaargh! I'm so angry—furious! Those wretched, vile entities—they've made authors famous worldwide for writing dark, brutal, twisted stories. And yet, they chose *me*—a nobody, a pathetic fool no one has ever heard of, living in a town so obscure that even if you looked it up on a map, you'd likely find a completely different name. Why me? Meanwhile, other authors are basking in wealth and fame, churning out their filthy, trashy novels about some ridiculous protagonist!
He spouts nonsense, wears a cold, stoic expression—or flashes a grin—and preaches that "friendship solves everything." He's got six or seven girls trailing after him, all with exaggerated, unrealistic bodies—all just to cater to the audience, to satisfy some perversion, or to let the reader imagine themselves in the protagonist's shoes when they go to sleep at night.
Disgusting! Ugh! And in the end, I'm the one who has to pay the price—by the creator of hell itself! "I'm being held accountable for poor, trite, and utterly cheap writing! Haa... hooo!
Well, I feel a bit of relief... but who am I kidding? I hate this life—I hate it so much. When will this torment end? Please, someone, just kill me! I beg you, I just want to die."
Jia listened to Boutalib's intense sobbing, her expression reflecting a feeling difficult to put into words. She then immediately played the second recording.
"Today is March 3, 2027, at 5:03 AM. I'm in a rather strange place, though I'm still in Algeria. The weather is beautiful.
Even though it's cold—and it's not just me feeling it; I've heard others say it's cold and the temperature has dropped significantly.
Yet, I feel nothing. Some white hairs have begun to appear, and my left eye is gradually turning gray.
Recording these entries has started to feel natural—this is the third video, and I no longer care if anyone else sees it, since I'll be the one watching it in the end anyway.
Strange, I know. But who am I kidding? I'll watch it again in an hour or two and just laugh at myself. I've always done that.
I've always somewhat enjoyed solitude, and often, I've disliked being around people. I'm not entirely sure how to put it, but I feel a strange sense of vitality—yet, at the same time, I sense that some catastrophe is about to befall me. Perhaps you'll hear me recount it.
Well, I think I'll call my story 'I am inside my novel'—or, to be more precise:
I am inside the story of my own life." "A strange name, I know. The story of a novel—who cares? I'm the one living it; you're just listening. Even if I seem like a fool, you aren't in my shoes—and even if you were, you wouldn't feel what I feel."
Jia listened to the audio recording in silence. When she exited the app, she noticed the title had changed from "A Nameless Life and the Great Outcast" to *I am inside my novel*. Though puzzled, she decided to set the matter aside for the moment.
Looking at her phone, she remarked in a calm, steady voice:
"From what I've gathered, all three recordings were made in close succession—exactly four days apart. It's rather strange, if that was intentional."
She attempted to return to the app, but a notification popped up on the screen. It was a bit annoying, though she didn't dwell on it.
[Host, please wait 5 to 6 hours before continuing to listen to the audio recordings.]
With a faint flicker of annoyance, Jia returned her phone to her inventory of equipment and resources. She then turned her attention to her meal, which was still warm.
She realized that while listening to the recordings, she had become completely detached from her surroundings—she hadn't sensed a thing around her for the past few minutes.
Closing her crimson eyes, she took a deep, steadying breath before resuming her meal—a bowl of summer fruit salad accompanied by a glass of cold cow's milk.
Afterward, she stood up and headed toward the city of Berhais, intending to enjoy her time there until the following day. Meanwhile, in the city of Berhais, the Star-Hunter Venerable Zendaya and the Last-Territory Venerable Ping Tao Xin were wandering through the neighborhoods.
Under the fearful gazes of the city's inhabitants—for the notorious reputations of the Last-Territory Venerable Ping Tao Xin, known for toppling sects and clans, and the Star-Hunter Venerable Zendaya, known for devouring rising talents, were widespread across the Five Continents—the two paid no mind to the people around them. Their thoughts were occupied entirely by the upcoming Summer Festival.
As they strolled along, the Star-Hunter Venerable Zendaya spoke, her tone tinged with a hint of mockery:
"Last-Territory Venerable Ping Tao Xin, you are weaker than the Lotus-Flower Venerable Jihao Yuxuan, and weaker than the Great-Creation Venerable Yutu when he inhabited his original body."
The Last-Territory Venerable Ping Tao Xin looked at her, his expression calm and a faint smile still gracing his face:
"Being weaker does not mean I cannot emerge victorious in battle. Victory is not determined by who is strongest or who commands the largest army; it is shaped by spirit, determination, and careful planning—ensuring that no trivial detail disrupts the path of one's strategy. True strength lies in the mind, not the body, you empty-headed, witless creature."
The Star-Hunter Venerable Zendaya narrowed her eyes as she listened to his words, responding with clear annoyance—a reaction that drew a soft, amused laugh from him.
"That is merely what the weak say to justify their own weakness." Ping Tao Xin, the "Last Patch" Venerable, paid no mind to her words; he dismissed them as a ridiculous joke from an even more ridiculous person, and continued his casual stroll through the districts of Berhais City.
The same could be said for Zendaya, the "Star-Hunter" Venerable, who was looking around in the hope of finding something interesting to purchase. Yet, even after two hours had passed, she had found nothing worth buying.
Feeling somewhat frustrated, she cast a sidelong glance toward Ping Tao Xin—the "Last Patch" Venerable—who had come to a stop in front of a shop selling curiosities.
However, Yuto's confident gaze left him puzzled. As an embodiment of the "Ruler Path," Yuto possessed a Level 9 form of immortality; his death would mean the annihilation of the Ruler Path itself, which in turn would cause the collapse and destabilization of the story—the very novel Yuto found himself trapped within.
While the master of a path can replace a lost path, the death of both the master and the path would trigger a catastrophic imbalance—a fact of which the Venerable Lotus Flower, Jihao Yuxuan, was unaware. The same principle applied to the guardians of the Sacred Existence Tree, whose betrayal had once forced Yuxuan to detonate his own essence and regress to the moment of his birth.
"I'm listening, Yuto. Yes, as you said, the power of my 'wings' surged suddenly over 30,000 years ago."
Yuto snapped his fingers, and a beautiful table appeared, complete with a teapot, two exquisite glass cups, and an assortment of delicious sweets.
Yuto gestured for the Venerable Lotus Flower, Jihao Yuxuan, to take a seat. Both sat down in silence.
Yuto poured tea for himself and for Jihao Yuxuan, a faint smile playing on his lips:
"Don't worry—it's not poisoned. I'm not a 'Venerable Poison-Maker,' after all."
He handed a cup to Yuxuan, cutting off any chance for him to speak, then continued in a calm, steady tone:
"The reason for your surge in power is that the master of the 'Death Path'—BO 00 01—and I have once again become a single entity. Consequently, the fragments of the Ruler Path embedded within each of your wings have merged with the fragments of the Death Path." Venerable Lotus Blossom Jihao Yuxuan's eyes narrowed as he listened to Yuta, and he remarked with a hint of surprise:
"Once again? Were you all part of the same whole in the past?"
Yuta nodded in agreement and replied:
"Yes. The Master of the Death Path—BO 00 01—and the other Path Masters were all once contained within a single entity. So, have you figured out how to evolve your Aspect to the ultimate Level 5?"
A cunning smile spread across Venerable Lotus Blossom Jihao Yuxuan's face as he sipped his tea:
"So, I must kill the other Venerables who possess the same Aspect from different paths, and collect the fragments of those paths to ascend to the final level."
Yuta picked up a piece of candy, ate it, and took a sip of his tea:
"Precisely, Venerable Lotus Blossom Jihao Yuxuan. That is one way to do it—and it shouldn't be too difficult for you. Take my Aunt Kyunai, for instance: after reaching Level 5 in her 'Hunter 27' Aspect, she had to eliminate the masters of the sub-Aspects to secure her own, and then go on to kill those who held the same Aspect from other paths to reach the ultimate level."
Venerable Lotus Blossom Jihao Yuxuan's eyes narrowed further as he listened. In a calm, composed tone, he asked:
"What is it that you want from me? It is time you told me what you are asking for, Great Creation Venerable Yuto." Yuta's smile turned cold as he listened to Jihao Yuxuan:
"Well, there are only 504 years left until the start of the War of the Paths, and 600 years until the end of the 15th Era—the 'Era of Beginning and End.' After that, we will transition into the 1st Era of the First End, known as the 'End of the Beginning Origin.'"
Jihao Yuxuan, the Venerable of the Lotus Blossom, looked on with growing bewilderment, trying to discern Yuta's true intentions:
"I am aware of that, but what are you driving at?"
"I want to assist you in the coming war—for you to fight alongside me and advance your 'Domain' to the Absolute Level. Furthermore, we are set to convene at the Supreme Venerable Union Palace two centuries from now; I require your help—and perhaps some assistance in eliminating certain other Venerables. You are free to refuse, but know that your chances of survival along any other path are effectively zero."
End of flashback.
He mused to himself, his inner voice calm and steady:
"Not much time remains, yet it will be enough for me to elevate my Domain to the Absolute Level. 504 years—that's hardly any time at all."
"What I stand to gain, however, will be immensely valuable. Still, there remains a real possibility that I could perish during the War of the Paths. *Haa... hoo...* No matter. There is still ample time to prepare myself to face adversaries—up to 25 entities, each possessing power equal to or greater than my own—should any other Lotus Blossom Domain masters from the past still be alive." The Venerable of the Sky-Blessing, Elizabeth, turned her gaze toward him. Speaking in a calm tone, she dismantled all his plans before he could even begin to execute them:
"If you are contemplating evolving your 'Wing' to the Absolute level, then you are nothing but a fool."
"Your 'Wing'—and that of the final Board Venerable, Ping Tao Xin—are unique phenomena. They have not manifested along other paths because they are intrinsically tied to the very nature of your own existences. The same applies to Yuta Caseral, as well as the remaining fifteen 'fragments'—individuals like Gowther MacIntyre, Christian Leon, Inuyasha, and Nicholas. Consequently, the path you must take to reach the Absolute is entirely different—a path unknown even to me, as the existence of such 'Wings' is exceedingly rare."
As he listened to Elizabeth, the Venerable of the Lotus, Jihao Yuxuan, narrowed his eyes. He realized that he had been, in a sense, partially deceived by Yuta Caseral.
After all, Yuta possessed a vast wealth of knowledge; having lived for fifty million years in his previous life and participated in the 'War of the Paths,' it stood to reason that he would be privy to such information.
It was knowledge that Jihao Yuxuan—the Venerable of the Lotus—had lacked, though perhaps that was always intended to be the case.
Meanwhile, the final Board Venerable, Ping Tao Xin, was struck by a silent shock. He discovered that he was incapable of evolving his 'Wing' to the Absolute level—yet he did not dwell on it for long, as he had not even reached the fifth rank, let alone attained the level required to worry about the Absolute. Zendaya the Star-Hunter laughed at them with clear mockery, prompting Jalil Barakat Sama'a Izlabith to speak in a calm, measured tone:
"Have you forgotten that you will be an adversary to the Queen of the Keonai Hunters—a figure who reached the absolute pinnacle of power two eras ago?"
Zendaya the Star-Hunter's expression darkened instantly; she thrHe picked up the statuette of Daniel de Moliar, a faint, ominous smile playing on his lips, paid for it, and then left the shop.
After stowing the small figure away in his personal dimensional space—ignoring the bewildered looks cast his way—he returned to the side of the Star-Hunter, Zendaya.
As they continued on their path, he spoke in a calm, measured tone:
"Have you heard of the 'Tree of the Five Heroes' Heads'—whether severed or otherwise, Honorable Star-Hunter Zendaya?"
Though she did not grasp his intent in bringing up the tale, the Star-Hunter, Zendaya, decided to play along:
"No, I have never heard of such a story."
The man known as 'The Last Patch,' Ping Tao Shin, offered no comment on her response; instead, his gaze remained fixed on an image of Daniel de Moliar displayed near the entrance of a shop.
Then, glancing occasionally toward the Star-Hunter, Zendaya, he continued in that same calm voice:
"The story goes that six individuals from different races—a human, an elf, an angel, an orc, a barbarian, and a dwarf—joined forces to defeat the Demon King. After decades of conflict in the final war between the five races and the demons, both the hero and the Demon King perished—or so it was believed. Yet, the human hero survived. He gathered the other five heroes beneath a colossal tree, and, to their utter shock, he severed their heads—hanging them upon the tree's trunk before departing, leaving behind the remains of those he had known best." Venerable Star-Hunter Zendaya's expression turned puzzled; she sensed that he was alluding to someone—or something—specific. Deciding it was of no concern to her whether the protagonist in his tale was a real person or merely a fictional character in a story about betrayal, she simply continued on her way.
"Well, that's a lovely story, but what I really want to know is: what brought you into this novel? I've been meaning to ask since we were back on the Eastern Continent."
Venerable Star-Hunter Zendaya's tone carried a blend of mockery and suspicion.
In response, the Last-Rank Venerable, Bing Tao Xin, flicked her on the forehead as he walked past. Annoyed, she bristled even more at his retort:
"Why I came to this novel is none of your business. Mind your own affairs, Venerable Star-Hunter Zendaya."
Venerable Star-Hunter Zendaya stared at him with clear irritation, then realized how foolish she was being—after all, there was no chance he would actually reveal his true purpose or the reason for his arrival. She slapped her own forehead in frustration, feeling like a complete fool for having asked such a question.
The Last-Rank Venerable, Bing Tao Xin, let out a laugh, casting a sidelong glance at her. His expression then shifted to one of calm as he turned his gaze toward the Lotus-Flower Venerable, Jihao Yuxuan, and the Sky-Pool Venerable, Izlabeth, who were both approaching them. He turned his gaze back toward the "Star-Hunter" Venerable Zendaya, only to find that she had vanished the moment she realized the "Heavenly Pool" Venerable Izalabeth was present—a departure likely prompted by rumors that she intended to kill him, though in truth, that had merely been a ruse orchestrated by her and Yuta.
The "Lotus Blossom" Venerable Jihao Yuxuan chuckled as he spoke, glancing toward the "Final Board" Venerable Bingtao Xin, who was staring with mild astonishment at the spot where Zendaya had just been standing:
"How are you, 'Final Board' Venerable Bingtao Xin? It seems you quite enjoy terrorizing the inhabitants of Berhais City, don't you?"
Bingtao Xin remained silent, his gaze shifting toward the "Heavenly Pool" Venerable Izalabeth. She wore a faint smile that carried a hint of annoyance—a look that left him feeling somewhat uneasy.
Maintaining a calm expression, Bingtao Xin replied:
"Indeed. It appears my reputation in this world is quite poor—after all, I did wipe out dozens of powerful sects across the Eastern Continent. When you get down to it, this world is just far too peaceful."
Jihao Yuxuan paid little mind to his words; he understood exactly what was meant by "peaceful." For a Rank 4 Pavilion Master, this world—where the most formidable entity is merely a Rank 2 Pavilion Master—was a place where he could do exactly as he pleased. As for the esteemed Lady Elizabeth of the Celestial Blessing, she continued to gaze at him with a calm, unsmiling expression; she placed her hand on his shoulder for a few seconds before continuing on her way.
This left him deeply puzzled, and, sensing that something was amiss, he turned his gaze toward the Casiral family estate—his expression shifting from bewilderment to complete, icy detachment.
He then set off to follow the two figures—the esteemed Lord Jihao Yuxuan of the Lotus Blossom and the esteemed Lady Elizabeth of the Celestial Blessing—as they wandered through the city of Berhais.