Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

Chapter 1969: [Poetry Cards] and Transcending Space-Time

Under the night sky, the radiant sun finally merged with the soft silver moon. In the interwoven glimmer of gold and silver, Shard’s figure reappeared. His appearance hadn’t changed much, except his clothing turned into a long golden robe.

The two Seven Ring Life Rings automatically manifested, intersecting vertically behind him. The sun’s gold and the moon’s silver traversed the surface of the two life rings, then swiftly spinning rings together formed a spherical structure of intertwining gold and silver behind him.

Shard, subconsciously closing his eyes, heard "her" smiling beside his ear:

[Sun and Moon.]

It’s as if "she" was reminiscing about something, or perhaps simply feeling joy for this moment:

[Outlander, you’ve learned the Maze Lock "Lovers of the Bell Tower." The Maze Lock must be used in conjunction with the Arcane Technique "Love God’s Sting" to transform a heart willing to open for you into your power.]

No need for "her" to remind him, already fused with Iluna, Shard understood what sort of power this was. He had initially thought that the "duality" of the two was led by two souls guiding a body with both their traits. But truly unfolding the Maze Lock, truly completing what the God of Wealth pointed out for the Maze Lock, he discovered that it seemed Iluna had turned into his power.

He could feel no change in his body, Iluna’s melted form had simply transformed into a surge of fiery heat, coursing through his body. Iluna’s soul, at this moment, was tightly entwined with his own like a long snake. It’s hard for him to describe this feeling, but at this moment, he was both Shard Hamilton and Iluna Beath.

Even though the two Maze Locks intercrossed at that moment, intertwining with each other, "Edwards" atop the giant tree could still see everything on the island. He was obviously taken aback by what just unfolded, as no one could have predicted such a thing would happen, but soon a smile emerged on his face:

"Duality, Moon and Sun. God Summoner, you truly prepared a surprise for me. Even I didn’t know that Edwards’ Ascension Technique had such effects."

Shard, subconsciously closing his eyes, could rely on his profound control over the Maze Lock to "see" everything clearly in front of him. He felt this state couldn’t last long; Iluna seemed to be "melting" into him. If the state didn’t end soon, perhaps she would never return.

"Laplace Klein Howard, let’s determine victory in one move."

With a gentle leap into the air, the force of Divinity Overflow seemed extended due to the fusion with Iluna. The gold and silver light orb formed by the two life rings rose above Shard’s right hand and came into the palm of his hand. Meanwhile, the Diviner connected by myriad blood-red branches to the giant tree and island also raised his arms.

The golden-silver light emanating from the life ring above the bell tower and the crimson light formed by the power of the entire island from atop the giant tree shined upon all parts of the island again, in the dawn phenomenon created by Iluna’s "melting".

Before the two beams of light touched, like an explosion set to level the world, the Diviner atop the tree finally saw Shard open his eyes.

The left eye was the sun, the right eye was the moon. The Thirteen Ring Diviner, at that moment, seemed suddenly to understand something, but also like he understood nothing. And the next moment, the blood-colored light was engulfed by the intertwining gold and silver light orb formed by the life rings, to the extent it swallowed him, so no one saw his last moment’s complex expression:

"Ah, so that’s how it is..."

The world became entirely white in an instant, sound vanished completely, as if this was the end of everything. But as soon as the thought appeared, the piercing explosion sound rose from high above. Limitless light and chaotic elements with the tide of spirits forced everyone to bow their heads and cover their ears, refusing to observe this confrontation beyond the Thirteen Rings, a blow worthy of being called the strongest mortal strike of this era.

"Is it over?"

As the glimmer dispersed, this was the first thought of those still capable of thinking. But looking around, the two tangled, transforming Maze Locks hadn’t vanished.

Atop the bell tower, Shard looked seriously towards the higher spot where the blood-red giant tree stood. Behind him, Iluna, panting heavily and supporting herself on the floor, soft-handed and footed, could hardly stand up. The spellcasting just now was entirely borne by her to enable Shard to face what comes next. But the more crucial reason for her soft limbs was Shard’s fiery spirit, which nearly melted her soul.

Yet she wasn’t scared at all, instead, her face showed an uncontrollable smile. Her whole body trembled, but it was a tremble out of excitement. She finally confirmed how Shard truly felt about her, and finally, ahead of everyone, whether it was Luviya, an ancient witch, a modern witch, a princess or a writer, she became the first to connect and become part of Shard’s soul.

She would forever be branded in Shard’s heart, just as Shard would remain in her soul forever.

Behind her, the life ring automatically manifested, without any ceremony, simply due to touching Shard’s soul imbued with divinity, Iluna, who was originally Seventh Ring, automatically ascended to Eight Ring amidst uncontrollable joy.

Though the ascension of a Circle Sorcerer restores some spirit, she still couldn’t continue fighting for a short time.

Looking up at Shard’s back, maintaining the Maze Lock, Shard appeared taller in her eyes than ever before.

At this moment, Shard was focusing on "Edwards."

Of course he had just won, the power of the Chosen of Iluna and her peculiar solar talent intertwined with his Divinity Overflow, Silvermoon Radiance, unleashing a power so daunting even Shard felt it, annihilating the enemy decisively in just one strike.

No complex process, nor complicated plans were needed—just pure power crushing.

Now, atop the canopy, there was no sign of the man in the blood-red robe, who had fallen onto the remaining ruins of the banquet hall, struggling to get up, supporting himself on the ground.

All the blood-red branches behind him were broken, even half of his right hand and face were gone. But since the Maze Lock still existed, even from a distance of hundreds of meters, the owners of both Maze Locks could clearly see each other.

"Do you concede?"

Shard’s voice appeared in his ear, and the Diviner shook his head with difficulty:

"You know, I still have power that hasn’t been used."

Shard looked at him:

"Are you sure you want to do this? If you concede now, you still have a chance to walk towards the future. Once you use that kind of power, you will have no possibilities left."

The Diviner knew what he was talking about. The writhing flesh was healing his wounds, but affected by the ’Power of Balance,’ he ultimately could not return to the state before that strike:

"You showed me the city in that ruin; you made me certain that such a hidden time truly exists. Moreover, that time, all possibilities failed."

He coughed up a mouthful of blood:

"Therefore, I must try, try the path I chose. Having come this far, I can’t give up. Even if I might die by your hand in a while, I must verify whether this path is feasible. That future, that apocalyptic future, is not the future of our world. Civilization must continue forward."

A crimson vortex appeared beside him, from which fell a black coffin plastered with various talismans, tightly bound with golden threads, yet still emitting a terrifying aura.

"Envy Edwards."

The Diviner said softly and then took a card from his pocket.

This was not the set of Divination Cards he crafted himself to seal monsters. It was the Angel-Level Relic [Poetry Cards], though its card face was still blank, representing that the Relic had yet to summon the heroes of the past.

At this point, the five greatest threats foreseen by Luvia with Special Divination—Angel Skeleton, Soul Storybook, Space-Time Traveler, Poetry Cards—had all appeared. Only the Evil Object [Door in the Bottle] had yet to manifest.

The Diviner did not act immediately, instead looking again at Shard atop the bell tower:

"I know you and most people will mock my foolishness and obstinacy, but some things are destined for someone to do.

You defeated me, and I saw another possibility within you, so I give you one chance. The identity of the Chosen of Space no longer belongs to me; I will renounce it in my own way. God Summoner, show me more possibilities. This isn’t a showdown between you and me; it’s the world’s choice of future."

The Angel-Level Relic [Poetry Cards] was directly thrust into his own chest by "Edwards," then crimson blood thorns that extended from his back pierced the vibrating black coffin, absorbing Envy Edwards, who had lost control due to "Transcend Time and Space."

"Entrust myself to your banner,

my fate upon your sword.

Hero of the songs of poetry,

respond to my summons,

I have seen hidden time is not illusory,

I have seen the vanity after all things united;

now declare

I am you,

you are me."

The power of Time activated the [Poetry Cards] to select the heroes sung in the past. The uncontrolled power after transcending time and space allowed the cards to extend their tendrils into the time unknown to all but Shard and Long-Haired Luvia.

He wasn’t supposed to succeed, as everything was conjecture; he couldn’t summon any power belonging to that time because it no longer existed.

Yet he had witnessed the phantoms during Shard’s ascension and understood that all conjectures were true; at this special moment tonight, he called upon the world for a miracle with the identity of The Chosen One’s first candidate.

Thus, a kind of fragmented echo responded to him within the remnants of time. After the incantation to activate the Relic ended, something that absolutely shouldn’t have been summoned truly arrived in this space-time.