Chapter 166

【"Too insane—no wonder Professor Su Bai could propose a theory that changes the world."】

【"But it sounds terrifying—won't it be incredibly hard to put into practice?"】

【"It's fine..."】

【"Exactly, after all, Professor Su Bai's will is stronger than anyone else's."】

【"Mm-hmm, otherwise how could a normal person be loved by the Great Benevolent Tree King? I've always thought there was something shining about the teacher."】

【"Hehehe..."】

【The voices grew farther away.】

【The Academia students walked away, backs turned to Su Bai, chatting as they vanished into the distance.】

【"Hey, you guys..."】

【Su Bai panicked: "Where are you going, hey..."】

【Unfortunately, the Academia students acted as if they couldn't hear him, continuing their chatter while their figures grew ever more distant.】

【"If it's Professor Su Bai, he definitely can."】

【"Of course—he's our best teacher."】

【"So..."】

【...】

【"Cheer up and push forward, Su Bai..."】

【Ye Er's voice suddenly cut through Su Bai's thoughts.】

【He looked at Ye Er, frightened: "What's going on?"】

【Ye Er shook his head and buried his body into Su Bai's arms.】

【"Just like you, back then—unable to wield elemental power, clumsy in certain things."】

【"But I can feel your effort—these students who worship you are the result of your perseverance."】

【"So then, before you leave completely."】

【"Do what you must do—in the most heroic way you know."】

【....】

【World Tree.】

【Everything seemed so peaceful.】

【Until, the finger pressed against the trunk trembled slightly.】

【Signaling that this calm would soon be shattered.】

【"Hehe..."】

【Su Bai's lips curved into a faint smile: "At such a critical moment, I fell asleep."】

【"It felt like I'd dreamed a long, long dream..."】

【He snapped his eyes open.】

【The gaze he cast was unbearably resolute.】

【Even the look he'd given when gathering the Divine Core through calculation couldn't rival it.】

【I often wonder if what I've done is right—to deceive and sacrifice lives to change the world.】

【I often feel guilt—for the people who paid with their lives along the way for my plan.】

【I once believed that if the worldline changed, those who sacrificed would be reborn.】

【I often feared that changing the world might bring them other harms.】

【But...】

【I firmly believe that the reborn world will be better than this one.】

【"Now..."】

【"The grand performance begins."】

Furina: "So... so cool..."

Furina: "Wow! Su Bai's awake—he's finally awake."

Zhong Li: "What is this? That resolute gaze—has he lost his inner confusion?"

Nahida: "Su Bai the Great Sage has reclaimed himself—he's no longer just someone who follows calculations."

Nilou: "But his body..."

Alhaitham: "His body doesn't matter anymore—this is a moment of willpower."

Alhaitham: "No, from the very beginning, he's been matching willpower against the World Tree."

Colette: "When the new world is born, neither Lumine nor Mr. Su Bai are recorded by the World Tree—they'll appear in the new world with all their memories intact."

Amber: "Yeah, that's probably right."

Lisa: "Lumine will appear in the new world—but Mr. Su Bai won't."

Colette: "Huh?"

Nahida: "Because the World Tree has no record of him—he... if he dies, he dies for real..."

Colette: "This..."

Liu Yun Jinfeng Zhenjun: "In the reborn world, perhaps no one but Lumine will remember him."

Keqing: "How cruel—what about his students, and the Great Benevolent Tree King..."

Lumine: "Not necessarily—if Su Bai altered the timeline after appearing before the Great Benevolent Tree King, she will remember him."

Focalors: "But to remember someone who once existed yet can no longer be found—that's another kind of pain for Ye Er."

Venti: "Sigh—let's see how Old Su handles it—he..."

Yuan Shang: "Su Ye suffered terribly; even if he succeeded this time, he gained nothing."

【"Lumine..."】

【"Lumine..."】

【"Wake up..."】

Nahida's voice kept sounding from Lumine's ear.

Lumine slowly opened her eyes, her expression somewhat dazed.

【"Ugh!"】

【"What is going on? My head feels so heavy."】

Lumine gently patted her head.

【"Lumine, we must hurry and find Su Bai; he stole Nahida's Gnosis."】

Paimon's voice finally made Lumine remember what had happened before.

She, Nahida, and Paimon had clarified the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata within the World Tree and eliminated all forbidden knowledge.

But upon emerging, they were ambushed by Su Bai.

Unfortunately, due to the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's disappearance, the information she had told Nahida about Su Bai was, for Nahida, merely a vague and unclear memory.

【"Mm."】

Lumine nodded, but the instant she raised her gaze, she froze on the spot.

Her beautiful pupils stared at the distance, trembling continuously.

She saw clear skies far away, yet Sumeru was in the dead of night right now.

Moreover, people were coming and going on the streets.

Their faces beamed with sunshine-like smiles as they conversed with one another.

There were even young girls dancing gracefully.

【"What is that..."】

Lumine pointed toward the distance.

【"Hm? What are you saying, Lumine?"】

Nahida and Paimon tilted their small heads.

【"Can't you see those people over there?"】

Lumine frantically gestured to the two, explaining...

But Paimon and Nahida exchanged a glance, looking utterly confused.

【"Lumine, aren't you awake yet?"】

No, something was completely wrong.