Chapter 3

【Humanity has been propagating for a million years, but only the last 400,000 years have been meaningful.】

【So, what have we been doing for the other million years?】

March 7th muttered to herself:

"Of course, it's just so you could ask such an idiotic question~"

Welt Yang, however, keenly picked up on the number 400,000.

"400,000 years? Does that refer to the length of the entire civilization? Is it truly that ancient?"

【We hid in caves, huddled around small campfires,】.

【Fearing the things we did not understand—those explanations of how the sun rose, those monsters with human heads and bird bodies, those living stones.】

【So we called them "gods" and "demons," and prayed to them for forgiveness and salvation.】

Accompanied by the sound,

a blurry image appeared on the light screen.

It seemed to be the common ancestor of all humanoid creatures.

They were hiding in a dim cave, surrounding a dying campfire.

The ancient ancestors carved strange symbols on the stone walls, bowing to beings with immense power.

However, in this uncivilized, ignorant era,

one man stepped away from the crowd, staring directly at those "gods" and "demons."

Afterward, that man's followers grew more and more numerous.

Thus, the history of humanity's resistance officially began.

【Afterward, their numbers decreased, and our numbers increased.】

【As the things we feared grew fewer, we began to view this world more rationally.】

【However, the things that could not be explained did not disappear, as if the universe were deliberately showing its absurdity and incredibility.】

【Humanity can no longer live in fear. Nothing can protect us; we must protect ourselves.】

In the image,

human settlements hunted beast herds, conquered floods, and built city-states.

The spark of civilization extended to the horizon, and their footsteps stepped into the firmament.

Countless myths became part of daily life, and all mysteries were unveiled.

But.

That man discovered the secret of the Aeons in this world.

The dark corners outside the world of common sense.

【When others live in the sunlight, we must fight them in the shadows and prevent them from being exposed to the public eye.】

【Only then can others live in a rational, ordinary world.】

In the darkness,

flames representing life ignited and extinguished one by one.

But the followers' footsteps remained firm.

Secure...

Or destroy...

【We control, we contain, we protect.】

【We are... the Foundation.】

A grand and deep voice resonated among the stars.