Chapter 1356

On the throne, the "Rationality" fire seed quietly bloomed; just as Bai'e was about to reach out and touch it, Nakesia suddenly called out to him: "... Wait. Keep your eyes sharp... Someone is watching us."

"You little brat, your eyesight is much better than I imagined..."

Saifeier slowly emerged from the shadows, walking toward the two, and said, "As for that false god who has turned the world upside down… that's you, isn't it, white-haired brat?"

Nakesia glanced helplessly at Bai'e: "Ah… you really love to show off." His gaze passed through Bai'e and fixed directly on Saifeier: "In the name of the Seven Sages, I demand you immediately leave the Enlightenment Throne: this place is the supreme holy ground of 'Rationality', tolerating no desecration—take my words back to Aglaea. I won't say the same thing twice, catwoman."

Saifeier shrugged, deliberately putting on a disappointed expression: "Goodness, you won't even call me a 'scheming' demigod! How heartbreaking."

"Hah, I'll throw those same words back at you: first, as one of the world's foremost blasphemers, you have no right to lecture me; second… this has nothing to do with you, Tree Courtyard boy. Step back—I don't want anyone getting hurt."

Kǎè sī lán nà slowly closed his eyes, letting out a bitter sigh: "Again… a story I've heard before."

Nakesia let out a cold laugh: "Fire‑stealing thieves… do you really think you can cow the Tree Courtyard sages with mere bluster?"

Suddenly, a "kieh kieh kieh" laugh came from the throne behind the two, and Bātèlǔsī had somehow circled around to stand behind them, approaching the fire seed.

"... You gloomy little imp, you're sharp as a tack! Not bad, not bad—I quite like you. As a return, I'll feast right here on this Sèxīsī fire seed——"

Bātèlǔsī gulped down the "Rationality" fire seed in one gulp, then vanished in a puff of smoke toward the distance.

Sexisi - Sexisi

Zhagesi - Zhagesi

JOJO's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean

"6, 28, 496, 8218, 33550336..."

"A perfect number equals the sum of its proper divisors, so Kǎè sī lán nà has achieved a 'perfect' closed loop with his fate."

Behind Father Puqi, a white-bodied stand-in wearing a black mask slowly appeared behind him.

Zeiling - Zeiling

"How come, you dislike this kid who's gradually becoming cold?"

"No, on the contrary, I admire him." Father Puqi clasped his ten fingers together and slowly folded his hands, saying, "I admire the first person who 'defies fate,' for perhaps his 'defiance' is itself an arrangement of fate. As for the 'heaven' I seek, Laigushi is the one whom the gods despise."

Oulonnis Divine Trace

"The enlightened are always happy." Father Puqi said expressionlessly, "The All‑Knowing Venerable can calculate and anchor the future of everyone in this universe, whether good or bad, He knows everything. If we could let all humanity on Earth know their own fate—knowing when they will die, fail, succeed—and turn the randomness of the future into a fixed fact… only then could they accept everything peacefully."

"But the ancient scholar actually planned to kill the god, shatter the 'fate' anchored by the god…… Even if it is a genius, it is unforgivable."

The white snake slightly nodded: "But even if the Learned One anchored fate, humans on earth cannot see it."

"These are two completely different things." Father Pucci's cross-shaped pupils flashed a glimmer of light, "I have DIO's method left to me; I cannot see fate, but I can go seek and try. But if the Learned One who anchored the future is killed, fate becomes chaotic again, that would be a catastrophe……"

——

""It's exactly the same, just like many of them I knew before…… both cunning and innocent.""

""Sounds like you have it all figured out?""

""Of course. When I first embarked on the journey to chase fire, Teacher Tibao couldn't teach me the Oulonnis Divine Trace…… along the way, I finally learned a bit.""

"Kaeuslan raised his hand, and Bartolus was quickly dragged back by the power of 'ages', returning to his original spot, looking bewildered."

"Bartolus panted heavily: 'Huff… huff… How could this happen…'"

""You've come, Zagres…… still as punctual as ever.""

"Bartolus immediately lifted his head, his eyes becoming clear: 'What, what? You know my……?'"

""My patience is almost exhausted, so I don't want to waste words. Listen, Zeiling: hand over the fire seed, and let it be as if we never clashed. This way, you and this world can be saved." Balek said in a low voice."

""Kekeke, said better than a bard's song! Speaking of 'saving'……" Bartolus swayed, saying, "You want me to say… you yourself are the great disaster of Uglathros!""

"This sentence was like a sharp dagger, fiercely stabbing into Kaeuslan's chest."

"In an instant, he actually felt an unprecedented stabbing pain……"

——

Kobayashi's dragon maid.

"Don't say that to Balek——!!"

Seeing Bartolus utter such sharp words, Kobayashi really wanted to reach into the heavens and tightly cover its mouth.

For a moment, she seemed to see herself back when she first learned the true identity of the fire-stealers, attacking and cursing Balek……

Pain! Simply too painful!

She really wanted to explain to Balek, tell Bartolus the original truth, but now she can only watch helplessly as a true "world-bearing" hero is viciously attacked by his fellow fire-chasers, and she can do nothing……

Kobayashi's face gradually turned red, not knowing whether from alcohol or from impotent rage.

"Kobayashi, Balek seems to have changed his attitude toward companions greatly. If Bartolus doesn't give the fire seed to him……" Thor wore a worried expression.

「……」

Kobayashi fell into silence for a moment.

Although unwilling to admit, they indeed witnessed Balek gradually turning into a fire-stealer. As the "target mind function" marked by the ancient scholar gradually decreases, the decision right to avoid past companions' sacrifices also diminishes…… When it reaches zero, perhaps that is when the fire-stealer is born.

Thirty million cycles of reincarnation, even a stone would turn to dust over such long time, let alone a human heart.

——

「「……」」

"Even if you're incredibly powerful, you're still just a mortal flesh! Carrying twelve fire seeds? Don't joke— you'll only be devoured by divine fire, then I'll drag this world to bury you with me."