Chapter 1366

Zan Yin pondered: "Iron Tomb... Laigushi expended so much effort, even if waiting for thirty million cycles of reincarnation to let it be born, it could still slay star gods... I feel, as equally a Lord of Extinction, the gap between it and Illusory Dragon is quite large."

——

The 33550336th reincarnation.

""33550337..." The hero in his heart still waits for him here, "This is the number of reincarnations you are about to enter.""

Bai'e supported his forehead, expression extremely painful: "Countless memories... are surging toward me. Countless versions of me... once stood in the same place, facing the same choice."

""They are just like you, needing to pause here for a moment, to digest the sorrow, pain, and struggle accumulated in those ten million cycles. And you, like them, will carry memories and flames... into the newborn chaos."

Bai'e gritted his teeth, speaking each word with resolve: "I must set out... I must also bear this burden. I must bid you farewell, then... continue to oppose 'destruction' with 'destruction'."

""Yes, you always make such a resolute decision."

""I will burn... I will burn out. I will become this lifetime's fire-stealer, fulfilling my promise with Xilian. I will slay the gods and companions, seize the fire seed. Even if reason turns to charcoal together with my form, I will still remember my mission."

Bai'e's eyes flashed with a glint of determination: "I will prevent the Recreation of the World, I will find that newborn 'me'... and let him continue the futility of thirty million ages."

""... It seems you are ready to depart. Then I too should leave."

Bai'e stared for a moment: "You... where are you going? You only live in my heart. You... where can you go?"

Suddenly, a familiar footstep sounded beside Bai'e.

""Do you still remember what she said? Your childhood aspirations, the prophesied 'savior', a real, living person..." The hero in his heart chuckled, "... You have finally waited for her."

——

Kaguya-sama wants me to confess.

Sobbing, Bai'e, you're alright now, everyone's alright! You finally waited for her!

When Star appeared in Airei Shie, Fujiwara Chika couldn't hold back any longer; tears streamed out like an open tap. Only now did she finally grasp what 'gazing until one's eyes wear out' truly feels like.

This sense of redemption... Fujiwara felt that the heavens of Opherus had finally brightened at this very moment.

Even if only a ray of light shines in now, at least someone can finally pierce the darkness!

Over thirty million attempts! Finally! Finally!! This time, let Star help you turn the tables!

In the student council room, Miyuki Shirogane let out a long sigh, as if releasing the pent-up anguish in her lungs all at once, her face instantly relaxing considerably.

It's like a burden lifted—this must be what that feels like.

"Until the ashen dawn becomes apparent…" So 'ashen' actually means this? Does it refer to Star's hair color? Ishigami suddenly felt a sudden clarity, "That prophecy is meant literally—I never imagined it would only appear after tens of millions of generations."

Just being able to appear is already good enough! This time, let Star become the dawn, become the savior… hold on! Fujiwara, who had been sniffling while wiping tears from her eyes, suddenly stopped and lifted her head, "Does this mean that in this lifetime Opherus no longer needs to birth a fire-stealer? And that we wouldn't have to kill the Golden Heirs either?"

No, it depends on whether we prepare to return the fire seed and make contact with the outside geniuses. Ishigami, gradually calming down, guessed, "If the train crew can gather enough strength to destroy the Iron Tomb, we could return the fire seed. But besides that, I think Opherus still has a crucial matter we need to figure out."

What?

The prophecy. It appeared in Bai'e and Xilian's dreams three million generations ago. Ishigami held up a finger and said, word by word, "You shall bear the proud sun until the ashen dawn appears…" This prophecy isn't just about Bai'e's fate; it even spans Opherus' countless reincarnations, foretelling those who are not the scepter-bearer.

The mood in the student council room instantly turned stiff.

This prophecy transcends time, like looking back from the future. If the Golden Heirs' prophecy is just the scepter's 'program,' then who told Bai'e the prophecy he received in his dream?

——

"Star…"

Bai'e gazed at her, excited.

"I… I've been pulled into your memory."

"Indeed, it's because you were also there…" Saying this, Bai'e lowered his head, somewhat ashamed, "Sorry, I should have sent you home. This is my fire‑chasing journey; it was never meant to involve you."

"No. You should know that if the Iron Tomb is born from Opherus' fate, it will bring terrible disaster to the world beyond the heavens. And your long struggle…" The inner hero countered, "Isn't it precisely to oppose such an outcome?"

"After countless reincarnations, I've bid farewell to each of you here, yet I couldn't change anything. Our communication has grown ever shorter. Your flames burn brighter and brighter, you're becoming pure anger, the embodiment of hatred."

Bai'e slowly closed his eyes: "I… I have no choice."

"I understand. To keep the darkest fate from coming, you must do this." The inner hero said, "But now everything is different. Your perseverance has brought a turning point; on the distant horizon I see… the outline of dawn slowly forming, driving away the eternal night."

Bai'e gave a bitter smile: "It turns out that the thing illuminating it isn't the flame in my heart after all."

"Do you remember? In the original timeline, you and Maidemos once faced off in a 'duel' before the Scales of Justice, weighing what lay in your heart that is 'heavier than the world's fate.' When you hesitated, you received an answer from me…" The inner hero chuckled, shaking his head, "…Huh, what am I saying? I am you—even if you've long left me buried in your heart and taken another path, that hasn't changed."

"Let's try again. When you hesitated before the scales, the answer you found within yourself—do you still remember it?"

The inner hero extended a hand to Bai'e.

"Hmm." Bai'e solemnly nodded, placing his hand over his chest.

"Remember the past and become tomorrow's hero. That which is heavier than the world's fate is the resolve to carry an unchangeable past forward into the future."

"Very well. Then, Star, my partner, comrade…" The inner hero turned to look at Star, "You stepped into this unfamiliar world, bound by its heavy fate until this moment. In the face of danger, you never retreated. You have saved world after world, selflessly, staining the ticket over your chest with the hue of a hero."

"If I decide to go through that door, embracing an ending more fitting for 'destruction': to ignite a blazing sun with these hundreds of millions of fire seeds, and burn away together with the god of destruction and his minions…"

"Then, the world we left behind, this home in my heart where hope still remains… are you willing to take up everything we bear, return one last time to the starting point of time, prevent the birth of the 'Iron Tomb'… save the world we deeply love, and rewrite its destined fading ending?"