Vol 6. Chapter 154: Seventeen Million Endings

Leon and the others made their way to the back mountain of the sanctuary, a secluded area where the spatial barrier was less likely to attract attention.

In the middle of a clearing, Rosvisser stood with the Sacred Spear in hand. When in spear form, Xiaoxue could establish a mental link with Rosvisser.

“What do I do next, Xiaoxue?” Rosvisser asked.

The spear was faintly glowing with a gentle, golden radiance. Xiaoxue’s voice echoed through the weapon,

“The Time Palace exists independently of the physical world. Only I, a creation of Chronos, can form a bridge between the two locations. Aunt Rosvisser, all you need to do is channel my power. Leave the rest to me.”

Rosvisser nodded. “Understood.”

With that, Rosvisser slowly closed her eyes and began to focus on the power within the spear. A gentle breeze stirred her silver hair and flowing dress.

Moments later, a vast, holy energy radiated outward, and golden ripples expanded from Rosvisser’s position, spreading across the entire clearing.

Leon watched in silence, his heart a mix of emotions.

They were about to meet the legendary God of Time. The only god who still remained after all these centuries — Chronos.

Would this god be able to provide a solution that could save Aurora from becoming his successor?

Just as he told Noa, he couldn’t afford to miss even the slightest chance.

Even if the probability of saving Aurora was one in ten thousand, or even one in a million, Leon would do everything in his power to seize it.

Because she was his daughter. His flesh and blood.

After a few moments, the golden light grew even more intense. Leon and Noa could feel that divine aura seeping through the air.

Then, a golden gate materialized, opening the way to the Palace.

When the light subsided, a magnificent golden palace appeared before them.

It stood out starkly against the desolate wilderness. A structure so majestic that it seemed completely out of place in such a barren setting.

But that was its mystical nature.

As Xiaoxue said, the Time Palace was independent of reality, so any location could serve as its entrance, as long as one possessed the key.

“So, this is Chronos’ palace... It’s incredible,” Noa murmured, awe evident in her voice.

Leon took a deep breath, steadied himself, and stepped forward, Noa following close behind.

“You alright? Feeling any discomfort?” he asked, glancing at Rosvisser.

Rosvisser shook her head. “I’m fine. Unlocking the palace only draws on Xiaoxue’s power. It doesn’t affect me.”

“Good. Let’s go inside.”

“Mm.”

The group advanced toward the palace gates, with Noa trailing behind. But just before she entered, she heard a faint rustling sound from the bushes behind her.

Noa turned around, scanning the area. But there was nothing unusual in sight.

“Did I imagine it...?”

“Noa, what’s wrong?” Rosvisser called from ahead.

“Oh, nothing, Mom. Coming!”

Noa quickly jogged to catch up with the others.

Meanwhile, hiding behind the bushes, Aurora finally released the breath she had been holding.

“That was close... Almost got caught.”

She crouched in the shadows, her pink eyes fixed on the grand, imposing palace, its golden light reflecting in her gaze.

“...So this is where a god lives...”

The awe was fleeting.

The next second, the chilling realization struck her — the dream that had tormented her all this time...

It would come true here.

The light in Aurora’s eyes slowly dimmed.

She tiptoed out of the bushes and quietly followed after her family, drawing closer to the entrance of the palace.

Inside the Time Palace, there were no guards and no luxurious decorations. The entire hall was empty and eerily silent.

Only a massive hourglass lay horizontally across the entrance and the central bridge, serving as the only bridge between the two areas.

Leon and the others immediately noticed that the sand in the hourglass beside the throne was almost completely drained.

Xiaoxue materialized back into her human form and stood next to Rosvisser, staring at the familiar yet foreign palace.

“This is where Chronos created me,” she murmured.

Aurora’s memory flashed back to that fragmented vision... Back then, she had been with Chronos, peering into the sacred Time Web.

Rosvisser nodded slightly, then scanned the surroundings.

“So, where is Chronos—”

Before she could finish, a deep, ancient voice echoed from the throne:

“You have recalled your mission, yet you have not grasped the true power of time.”

Everyone turned toward the source of the voice.

On the once-empty throne now sat a white-haired old man. His hand propped up his weary head, and his breathing was weak and labored, as if he were hanging onto life by a thread.

Leon’s eyes narrowed. “Chronos...”

“Hah... The era of gods is coming to an end,” Chronos sighed. “I am a dying god, but... given your unique circumstances, I will overlook your insolence, Leon Casmod.”

“Unique circumstances?”

Leon took a step forward, his tone sharp. He didn’t bother to show respect to the god. After all, Chronos was the god trying to drag his beloved daughter to the throne of eternal suffering.

“What do you mean by ‘unique’?” Leon asked, his tone biting.

“The father of Aurora,” Chronos said, his gaze piercing. “You and your wife nurtured her into what she is now. Without you two, she would never have touched divine power in her lifetime.”

“And you think anyone wants that so-called divine power?”

It was Rosvisser who spoke this time, her voice cold and unyielding. Like her husband, she had no intention of being polite to Chronos.

“The Queen of Silver Dragons... You two don’t have to treat me with such hostility,” Chronos said, his tone growing weaker. “For hundreds of thousands of years, Aurora is the only mortal who has ever tampered with time.”

“She possesses unparalleled talent and a fate beyond compare. She is a brilliant light in the Time Web, the only one who can inherit time [N O V E L I G H T] after I’m gone. I created Aurora for the sole purpose of bringing her here to fulfill her mission. This outcome has already been seen in millions of timelines. So, even if you try to stop me now, or prevent this from happening, it’s already too late.”

Leon’s jaw clenched as he glared at Chronos, his eyes cold enough to freeze even a god’s soul.

“If there’s no way to save that damned Time Web, then can’t someone else inherit the power of time?”

Chronos chuckled weakly. “And who would that be, Casmod?”

Leon was silent.

Chronos shook his head,

“In all of Samael, there is only Aurora. She is the only mortal who has ever truly touched the power of time. There is no other candidate.”

Rosvisser grabbed Leon’s wrist, holding him back. If she didn’t, he might just charge forward and throttle the god.

“Your Time Web can see the outcome of any event, right?” Rosvisser asked.

“Yes. But only the outcome, not the process,” Chronos said. “It is forbidden to observe the course of events in the Time Web.”

Rosvisser’s eyes narrowed. “Then, in the Time Web, is there any outcome where we defeat the Void Realm without relying on divine power?”

Chronos’ answer was swift and cruel:

“No. In every timeline where you win, Aurora takes the throne of time. So give up, mortals. Only Aurora ascending to the Throne of Time can save everything.”

It was like a death sentence.

Leon and Rosvisser’s shoulders sagged, their minds going blank.

Noa, if not for her ancient ancestor supporting her, would have likely collapsed under the weight of such a revelation.

If what Chronos said was true... Then for Aurora to ascend to the throne meant...

“Not the only one,” Xiaoxue’s voice echoed through the silence.

All eyes turned to her.

Chronos raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“When I was with Aurora looking into the Time Web... there was one ending where she didn’t take the throne.”

“What kind?” Rosvisser asked, her tone urgent.

“I—”

“She doesn’t remember,” Chronos interrupted, slowly rising from the throne. “Because that was an incomplete Time Web.”

Leon’s eyes darkened. “What do you mean by incomplete?”

Chronos sighed, “In that web, the events were fragmented. The outcomes were incomplete. But even if you found that web, it is still just a broken remnant. There is no hope to be found there.”

“Why?”

Chronos waved his hand.

Golden threads formed a vast web in the air, each string showing fragmented scenes. And in every single scene, without exception, Aurora was sitting alone on the throne of time.

“How many endings are there?” Noa whispered, her voice trembling.

Chronos’ answer was a crushing number:

“Seventeen million. In all seventeen million outcomes, there is only one where Aurora doesn’t take the throne. And that one... is an incomplete Time Web.

So... don’t waste your hope on it.”