NOVEL NEXT Chapter 408: Time
"You see, Ren," the Blurred Man's form shifted, the edges of his body rippling like smoke caught in a breeze, "you've been asking the wrong questions. It's not just about why your Gifts were tampered with. It's about whether they can be fixed."
Ren stepped forward, his eyes narrowed on the man. In that instant, he was ready to fight if that was what was needed, because he could see it in the man's eyes.
"You know how."
"I do." The Blurred Man said without hesitation. "The Primordial Flame. It can burn away everything that has been layered over your Divine Gifts, every chain Yggdrasil placed on your Unfettered Enhancement, and every thread we wove into Lilith's Soul Dominion. The Flame can reduce all interference to ash, leaving only the pure essence of what those Gifts were meant to be."
Ren's heartbeat quickened. The thought of Lilith finally free from the constant pull towards becoming a Calamity… it was something he'd never let himself hope for. "And you're just telling me this?"
"Because it ties into something far greater." The Blurred Man replied. "You've already heard me say there's a way to kill Yggdrasil without destroying the world. But I haven't told you the mechanism."
"It lies in the combination of three forces. Your Unfettered Enhancement, Lilith's Soul Dominion, and the Primordial Flame. Wield them together, and you can sever Yggdrasil's roots from this world."
Ren's eyes narrowed. "If you know this, why not just give me the Flame?"
The Blurred Man gave a low, amused chuckle. "Because handing it to you would make you weak when you need to be strong."
The man walked to the pedestal, leaning down to study its surface.
"If you have to bleed for it, fight for it, earn it, then when the time comes, you'll have the strength to wield it properly. Make things too easy, and when you stand before Yggdrasil, you'll crumble. I won't allow that."
Ren took a slow step forward. "You think you get to decide what I'm ready for?"
"I know I do." The Blurred Man said flatly. "I've already set the board. The Shard of Oblivion you just destroyed, that was mine to give. I placed it in Aurelius's hands, knowing it would force him into motion, weaken Carthage's leadership, and tear open cracks in the city's defenses. Those cracks are about to become gaping wounds."
Ren's mind raced. "You… you did all of this to soften up Carthage."
"Of course. Yggdrasil armed you well. I knew you had what it takes to destroy the Shard. But Carthage is the final wall between me and the Flame."
"And the Flame…" the Blurred Man's voice deepened, resonating in the enclosed basement, "is the fire that will end everything."
"I intend to use it to burn this world to its bones, and in doing so, burn Yggdrasil with it. The two are tied too tightly together. Scorch the soil, and the roots die."
Ren's chest tightened. "You can't use it yourself."
The blurred head tilted, almost like a nod. "Correct. I'm not a native of this world. The Flame will reject me. But you…" His outline leaned forward slightly, the air around Ren growing heavier. "…you're different. The method Yggdrasil used to bring you here, stealing you, reshaping you, made you something rare. You're of this world now. The Flame will accept you."
Ren's eyes burned with understanding and fury. "So that's your plan. Bring in your forces, tear Carthage apart, let your army reach the Flame… and if I take it first?"
The Blurred Man's tone was infuriatingly calm. "Then it's yours. And if you take it, I will not stop you from using it your way. But if my people claim it first, I will burn this world and Yggdrasil together. That is the climax of this game. The Three versus the Anchor."
"It is my way of giving you a chance. If you win, we'll do it your way. If you lose, we do it my way. You have until my army gets here."
Ren took another step forward, his voice low. "You assembled an army?"
"Not just any army." The Blurred Man said, almost with pride. "I've gathered warriors, killers, leaders, and fanatics from across the mountain."
"People who believe in the cause, or who believe in nothing but their own gain. When the time comes, they will descend upon Carthage in a tide of steel and blood. Your precious Flame will be buried under a hundred battles before you ever touch it."
Ren clenched his jaw. "You're not giving me much time."
"That's because you don't have much time." The Blurred Man replied. "The pieces are already moving. Aurelius thinks he's the mastermind, but he's just another piece."
"The moment Carthage's defenses shatter, the invasion will begin. When that happens, your only choice will be to race my army to the Flame."
"Win, and you get to fix your Gifts, save Lilith, and maybe even save this world. Lose…," his blurred form seemed to pulse, as though he were smiling behind the distortion, "and I get what I want. One way or another, Yggdrasil dies."
Ren's fists tightened until his knuckles ached. He could feel the fire that had been lit under him. The urgency. The inevitability.
The Blurred Man straightened, the distortion of his form beginning to flicker. "We understand each other now, Ren Ross. I don't need your agreement. I just need you to play."
Ren took a step forward. "You—"
But the Blurred Man was already fading, his voice echoing unnaturally in the basement. "When the time comes, you'll know the way. And when you hold the Flame in your hands… you'll remember this moment."
The blur dissolved, the edges of reality snapping back into place.
The air seemed clearer, and the colors brighter. The unnatural haze that had clouded everything vanished.
Ren was alone again, the silence broken only by the distant creak of the ruined district office above.
He exhaled slowly, the pounding in his chest finally beginning to slow.
Time was running out.
Ren closed his eyes, fixing the coin that was Lilith firmly in his mind.
He tugged on it, and in the blink of an eye, the ruined basement vanished, replaced by the narrow shadow of an alley.
Before he could even steady himself, a familiar pair of arms wrapped tight around him.
Lilith's scent, faintly floral despite the dust in the air, filled his senses as she buried her face against his chest. Her grip was fierce, as if she feared he might disappear again if she loosened it.
"You're back." She murmured, her voice taut with the strain of holding herself together in the suffocating silence that had only just lifted.
From just behind her, Thorn let out a long, shaky breath. "Finally. I was beginning to think we'd have to storm the whole city looking for you."
Ren placed a steadying hand on Lilith's back, then eased her away just enough to look at them both.
His face was pale, but his green eyes were focused.
"I'm afraid I have news."