After work, start to speedrun the other world-Chapter 618 - 249: The Goddess of Life from 50,000 Years Ago

Lionheart Castle.

A breeze swept up the withered yellow leaves on the ground, rustling through the empty streets, until one slender, pale hand caught it.

The Goddess of Salvation lowered her gaze to the leaf in her hand, then looked around at the scenery. Shops with tightly shut doors and windows filled her vision, as if everyone had left Lionheart Castle... No, most people had already perished by their own will. Even the survivors had lost the desire to leave their homes, waiting for the next dream to begin.

"It’s been a while, Salvation." A gentle female voice came from not far away, causing the Goddess of Salvation to instinctively look up. She saw a beautiful young girl with long brown hair walking gracefully toward her, accompanied by a maid holding a parasol.

"Anastasia, are you out for a walk too?" The Goddess of Salvation showed a hint of surprise. She had known many friends, but most had already succumbed to self-destruction, choosing an end deemed proper in death.

To see Anastasia unharmed now was, without a doubt, a source of joy for her.

"After waking from the dream, I’ve taken to walking outside out of habit." Anastasia explained with a smile, then invited the Goddess of Salvation to join her. The two passed through the desolate streets and entered a church.

"All things must come to an end—the lives of people, the lifespan of civilizations." Anastasia gazed at the statue of the Goddess of Life, intertwining her fingers as she silently prayed for a moment.

Then, she lowered her hands from prayer.

"Has Ahtal come to Lionheart Castle?"

"..."

The Goddess of Salvation shook her head slightly. She hadn’t seen her teacher in the present world for a long time and could only meet him while dreaming. Now, her teacher stayed by the Witch of Death’s side, studying ways to transcend Ragnarok.

"Truly a busy man." Anastasia chuckled, lifting her hand to tuck a strand of brown hair behind her ear. "I was planning to tell him the good news about my awakened gift."

"What ability did you awaken, Anastasia?" the Goddess of Salvation instinctively asked. She knew Anastasia lacked any exceptional talents by nature and should theoretically never be able to awaken a gift in her lifetime. However, there was now a way for people to awaken gifts quickly—by tracing the footsteps of formidable beings in the simulated world and then receiving corresponding blessings from those beings in reality. This granted significant Magic Power and the qualification to awaken magic gifts almost instantly.

"It’s a secret." Anastasia smiled but held up a finger, where a warm-toned flame flickered at its tip.

The Goddess of Salvation examined the flame, immediately recognizing its nature: Ash Fire... yet, it wasn’t quite the same.

"What exactly is this?"

"It is Ash Fire," Anastasia responded, extinguishing the flame in her hand. Then she explained to the Goddess of Salvation, "This is proof that Ahtal has delved further into the power held by the King of Ash. He might already be able to transform destruction into... creation."

The Goddess of Salvation’s eyes widened in shock. "Does that mean the teacher’s primordial impulse has begun to manifest the instinct to create worlds?"

Anastasia tilted her head in puzzled inquiry. "The instinct to create worlds?"

"It’s a bit complicated to explain." The Goddess of Salvation pursed her red lips. "Teacher, as the King of Ash, is fundamentally driven by the urge to burn the world into ash. However, once he has fulfilled the duty of burning the world to completion, his fundamental impulse will shift to the desire for creation."

She placed a hand on her chest.

"In other words, teacher is about to ignite the timeline, burning from the end of time backwards to now."

Anastasia lowered her eyes but then smiled softly. "That does sound... rather troubling."

"I’m sorry, Anastasia." The Goddess of Salvation abruptly dashed out of the church, her figure quickly disappearing as a hurried voice echoed behind, "I need to confirm teacher’s situation."

Anastasia watched the scene with a faint smile. She then turned to glance at the maid, Norma, at her side. The two quietly left the church one after the other.

...

...

Hell.

Outside the Twin Towers.

Xi Mu sat on the edge of the steps, looking off into the distance where the Goddess of Salvation came running toward him. He smiled warmly.

"Why are you in such a rush?"

"Teacher, did you know I was coming?" The Goddess of Salvation unknowingly asked, only to realize immediately that she had raised a meaningless question. For someone who had ascended to the heights of the King of Ash, if her teacher wished to know something, there was nothing he wouldn’t know.

"In three days, I will set the world ablaze," Xi Mu declared, directly addressing the information weighing heaviest on the Goddess of Salvation’s heart. "Try and stop me, or I will reduce everything and everyone to ashes."

The atmosphere froze instantly.

The Goddess of Salvation found that all the questions she had wanted to ask suddenly became meaningless. Now that her teacher had issued this final notice, it seemed she had no choice but to accept it.

"Will... everyone die?"

"That depends on whether you all can transcend Ragnarok." Xi Mu stood up and patted his disciple on the shoulder. Though he had spent his time conducting experiments in the Witch of Death’s realm of ’death within death,’ his will had always projected itself into the simulated world, endlessly researching the divine powers of its participants. He had already ascended to omnipotence.

The new world model, perfected through his efforts and Eden’s, was now ready for its final phase.

"Mm." The Goddess of Salvation responded softly. Though time was tight, given the circumstances, there was nothing else she could do.

She adjusted her mindset and exhaled deeply:

"Teacher, when the final battle comes, could you deactivate your defenses?"

"If even my defenses can’t be broken, it can only mean..." Xi Mu’s words trailed off when he saw his disciple clutching at his arm pitifully, coaxing him in a delicate and pleading voice: