Chapter 964

As of today, KefaLe still bears the dawn.

Light poured down from the cracks in the cloud layer, like a golden sword, cleaving the shadow that shrouded the earth.

In this world, light existed from the beginning; the Titans created the primordial heaven and earth. Afterwards, KefaLe shaped humanity, granting light a calendar, causing history to begin flowing.

Under the sunlight, the giant's outline emerged from the gloom—a true titan, towering like a mountain, limbs thick as ancient tree trunks, the bulging muscles on its shoulders and back casting deep shadows in the light.

His two hands were raised high, palms open, facing the sky—as if bearing the whole world, or as if embracing the distant heavens.

"Humanity lived through a golden age, with countless city‑states scattered across the land. War came at times, peace at times…"

Six city‑states emerged from the firmament, each located in a different direction of the earth: the Holy City of Aohema, Janusapolis, Xuanfengcheng, the Divine Wisdom Tree Garden, Stikokisia, and Ai Diliya…

"Until the Heichi of the blasphemous god came from beyond the heavens, the majestic KefaLe bore the dawn upon its shoulders; under its protection, the walls of the Holy City stood firm."

"But the price… was the eternal slumber of a Titan."

The giant lifted the enormous 'sun' high, letting its light shine over the land, while it itself fell into eternal silence.

The scene shifted, revealing a colossal sword that seemed able to pierce heaven and earth, suspended high above the castle; its blade pointed downward, as if it would fall the next moment and cleave the city‑state in two.

"Now night sweeps over Wengfeluos; the ruined Xuanfengcheng sounds the war horn. Nicadoli, the Titan who governs strife, has fallen into madness due to the Heichi."

"Its army raises spears, vowing to utterly burn this shattered world."

——

Absolute Zone Zero

"Heichi? Oh oh…! I get it! It must be the star core's doing!"

Ju Fu Fu suddenly understood everything, stood up and slammed the table hard, "This star core is too terrible—why does every world have it?!"

"Is it the star core? … If it is, then it's actually easy to handle—just reseal the star core, and the world's order will return to normal." Yi Xuan pondered, "But the closure of Wengfeluos seems to have lasted a very long time; how did the star core enter this world?"

Ling furrowed her brow slightly: "Probably related to the star core's original explosion point in the agate world? Moreover, according to the train crew's experience in Pinokangni, the star core is often hidden in places that are everywhere yet hard to reach—for example——

——the enormous sphere borne on KefaLe's back.

Ye Shuguang eagerly took up his junior sister's words, though his tone remained somewhat confused: "Junior sister, do you think the star core is hidden inside that golden‑glowing sphere? It's not impossible, but according to their history, that sphere is closer to what we understand as the 'sun.' If we were to seal the star core—never mind how to get to that sphere—would sealing it cause the sun to dim forever, leaving us without daylight?"

"But if we don't seal the star core, this world will only grow worse, heading toward destruction." Zhe's expression grew grave; he lifted his gaze to the firmament, where a monster wielding a spear and madly swinging it loomed: "…That's Nicadoli, his spear resembling the one that attacked the train…… The train's crash was probably his doing."

Thus, the gods of Wengfeluos are not the vague, ethereal beings spoken of in legend, but tangible entities capable of descending to the world, leading armies in battle. Then could the golden‑descended ones like Bai E be… the retinue of these Titans?

——

"The messengers ran everywhere, begging the surviving city‑states for aid, but the replies were few…"

"Janusapolis, the Hall of Fate's Three Phases—would its priests be willing to share the oracle?"

Returning to the temple where Bai E and the others resided, the once‑grand dome had collapsed more than half, broken stones piled on the ground, blanketed in thick dust. Moonlight leaked through the breach, sweeping over countless tiny motes that spun and drifted, like the temple's last breath.

"But the scales have long been damaged; Oluonisi, the weaver of ages, hides in the mist, refusing to give prophecy."

"The Divine Wisdom Tree Garden, the cradle of knowledge—would its sages be willing to share wisdom?"

A colossal ancient tree appeared in the firmament, its trunk shooting up from the ground, the furrows in its bark deeper than ravines. A academy was being built leaning against this tree, a feat of ingenious craftsmanship that inspires awe.

"Yet the flames of war will consume the branches and leaves, and even the rational Titan Saixisi will fall into the embrace of death."

"Ah, death…"

Countless golden butterflies flew upward, toward the dome's direction, toward the massive shadow looming within the darkness.

It was a white giant dragon, its body winding along the dome's curvature, its head obscured, its wings spread wide to either side—like death opening its arms to welcome the returning souls.

"You once swore to guide the departed souls back to the River of the Dead, yet when the seas fell silent, where is the guardian of lost souls, the death god, now?"

In the clouds above, a huge eyeball suddenly appeared, looking left and right—like an instrument long dormant, now recalibrating its vision.

One cannot imagine how vast the body hidden within the clouds must be; as it moves, the cloud layers surge and retreat to the sides, revealing the shifting form beneath.

That is the neck.

At first glance, one might think it is the spine of some prehistoric creature—a series of raised vertebrae extending from deep within the clouds, then vanishing again into the mist, obscuring the full picture.

"And the sky‑giant Aigele… why do you close your eyes again? Abandoning humanity to eternal night?"

"Gods… what have you encountered?"

——

Original God

"Am I seeing things? I just seemed to have seen Sumeru City." Kawei rubbed his eyes, making sure he wasn't mistaken.

"It is a city‑state much like Sumeru; the Divine Wisdom Tree Garden… should be a force similar to Sumeru's Academia." Tinari lowered his head, rubbing the cup in his hand, "They also seem to have beings akin to sages—I don't know if the sages hold the highest authority."

Moreover, Wengfeluos also has Archons—those Titans are they. It seems each Titan wields a distinct 'authority'; the Titan of Time, Oluonisi, commands time, while the sky Titan's domain is unknown, but it looks far from benevolent.

That's exactly right; according to my speculation, these Titans are probably more akin to the seven elemental dragon kings that once ruled Teyvat.

A tender female voice rang out beside them—only to see Naxiada appearing in their dining hall out of nowhere.

"Little, little Dendro Archon?"

"Huh… am I interrupting your meal?"

"No, that's not the case." Tinari rose to pull a chair for Naxiada, "Little Dendro Archon just said the Titans resemble the seven elemental dragon kings—what's the basis for that?"

"Hmm." Naxiada nodded, "Each dragon king is the sovereign of its element; I suspect Wengfeluos is the same. The so‑called Heichi is more like the abyssal force that corrodes Teyvat. When the Grass Dragon King Apep swallowed the remains of the Red Dragon King Ammon, forbidden knowledge tormented it, even infecting its body. I think the Titan of Strife is likely similar… the Heichi is a power from beyond the heavens."

The layer of chaotic substance surrounding Wengfeluos is a means to shield against the Heichi.

——

"To this day, KefaLe still bears the dawn. Yet the Holy City's walls will not stand forever…"

Bai E stood on the cliff's edge, gazing far off at the titan that stood upon the earth. The giant was silent, as if waiting for something, yet also as if longing for something.

"The age of the Titans has ended; only heroes can bring hope. One day, an unnamed savior will take up the divine spark… and remake this shattered world."

"Just as… the burden‑bearing KefaLe."