I, the Final Boss of the Beta Server!

Chapter 98: Rast: Honey Trap, How About It?

When Grey came back to her senses, the young man’s figure had already vanished from sight.

It was as if that encounter on the winter night had been nothing more than a fantasy conjured from her imagination.

Only the gently swaying door and the small wooden box on the dining table remained as traces proving that Rast had once been there.

Grey picked up the delicate wooden box and carefully opened it.

Inside, nestled in the lining, lay a beautifully crafted crystal headband that shimmered like molten gold under the warm orange light.

Beside the headband was a small note.

【Happy coming-of-age.】

【From now on, learn to dress up properly, and always keep yourself beautiful and strong in front of others.】

【If I ever see you again looking lost and pitiful like you did on the street before, it would really break my heart.】

Grey took out the crystal headband—

Then gently placed it upon her head with great care.

Even though he always liked to mess up my hair with head pats the moment we met, he still gave me something like this.

Big Brother Rast, who would've thought you had such a mischievous side.

Feeling the faint warmth that still lingered on the headband, the corners of Grey’s lips curled slightly.

Today was not only the graduation ceremony joyously celebrated by the newly appointed Shoreguards…

It was also Grey’s own eighteenth birthday.

She had wanted to keep this fact quietly buried in her heart, pretending as if nothing had happened.

After all, the last person who knew her birthday and had celebrated it for her had long been buried beneath the ruins of Frostwater Town.

And yet—

After eight long years, she had once again received a birthday present on the very day she came of age.

This birthday.

She was truly happy.

……

【Your “Bond” with Grey has deepened. The “The Fool’s Library” has acquired a new power.】

【‘Fate’ · Grey’s current Bond Level is now 6】

【You have unlocked a new Original Text — “Ripples of Fate”】

A sapphire-blue notification flashed through his mind.

It made Rast, who had just returned to his room, pause in his steps.

The bond level with Grey had broken through again—this had been within his expectations.

After all, this witch who wielded fate…

At this moment, was nothing more than a newly-adult girl, freshly inducted into the ranks of Shoreguards, her heart still youthful and inexperienced.

Compared to someone like Sisel, an ancient immortal who had lived for who knew how many years, the difficulty of raising a bond with Grey was not even in the same realm.

What’s more, even when Grey had still been a little girl, Rast had already left a deep imprint on her heart.

Whether it was her admiration and dreams of becoming a Shoreguard, or even the very name “Grey” itself, all had been bestowed upon her by Rast.

Memories tend to idealize a person, while longing and nostalgia ferment emotions even further.

Sleepless nights, endless thoughts at midnight, reminiscing over and over again…

And now, a reunion after eight years—

That longing and sentiment had turned into reality.

A leap in their bond level was only natural.

Rast even suspected that if he put in a little more effort… raising the bond level further to Level 7 wouldn’t be all that difficult.

Within the system of Transcendents, Level 7 held special significance.

It represented a true legend, the threshold that separated the mundane from the divine.

If that was the case, would breaking through to Bond Level 7 also trigger some kind of special feedback?

Of course, it was just a passing thought.

If Rast’s guess was correct…

His bond with Grey might be forever frozen at this level, never to advance again.

After all, according to the plan Sisel had handed to him—

Let’s not even mention if the mission failed and he perished completely.

Even if it succeeded, he would become a traitor in the eyes of the other Shoreguards, including Grey.

There would be no turning back.

“But that’s only to be expected, isn’t it?”

He murmured softly to himself.

Ignorant and naive children can only grow up after knowing pain.

And a tender young girl who still believes in glory and dreams…

Though beautiful and dazzling in appearance, was merely a flower nurtured within the safety of someone else’s wings.

Only after tasting the bitter wine of betrayal could she truly undergo a transformation.

Then, she would truly grow into—

A Shoreguard capable of bearing the fate of civilization.

……

Rast’s thoughts stirred slightly, his consciousness descending into the sea of spirit to inspect the new ability he had just acquired.

【Ripples of Fate: As the origin of fate, you are both the creator and the terminator of the story.

Everything you do, even the smallest, most thoughtless of actions, will be like pebbles dropped into a still lake—stirring ripples upon ripples, even surging waves.

Just like that classic tale—when a butterfly flaps its wings in a tropical rainforest, it may trigger a storm across the sea days later…

As the source of the story, countless tales begin with you, and countless tales will end with you.

The trajectory of fate will shift because of you, and the destinies of countless lives may be rewritten by your single thought…

Even if you, yourself, are completely unaware of it.】

As expected, the new Original Text he obtained from Grey was once again an ability with a thoroughly cryptic description.

And just like the previous “Origin of Fate,” it was forcibly bound to him, impossible to uninstall even if he wanted to.

In fact, it was even more absurd than the “Origin of Fate.”

That one at least had a clearly stated effect—“significantly increases your resistance to Time-type abilities.”

But “Ripples of Fate” was nothing but a wall of enigmatic prose.

Fortunately.

Rast had now developed a few of his own theories about these cryptic abilities from the The Fool’s Library.

Next came the time to test and verify them.

Knock knock knock—

The knock at the door interrupted Rast’s train of thought.

“Come in.”

As Rast’s voice sounded,

A faint shadow slipped silently through the crack in the door and entered his room.

Then, before Rast,

That thin shadow gathered into a distorted humanoid figure.

The figure was entirely composed of pitch-black shadow, its face completely unrecognizable.

It turned slightly to face Rast, gave a small bow, and spoke softly.

“Lord Rast.”

“According to the leader’s instructions, the operation against ‘Paradise’ will be under your full command. I will serve as the deputy captain of the Shoreguard squad.”

The voice was equally indistinct—neither male nor female—but carried a tone of utmost respect.

As the shadow spoke, it slowly flowed and gathered before Rast into several books.

“In addition, the High-Tower Sequence’s advanced Transcendent knowledge you requested—”

“As well as all currently available Shoreguard dossiers not yet deployed from the Watchtower headquarters… and all intel the organization has collected on ‘Paradise,’ I’ve brought them all.”

“If you have any further needs for Transcendent materials, or personnel screening and training requirements for the squad, you may also give them directly to me—I will handle them on your behalf.”

Gazing at the flickering humanoid shadow before him, Rast pointed to the surrounding darkness. “What’s this look? Sequence ability or psychic power?”

A respectful voice came from within the shadows immediately: “I am a sixth-rank in the ‘Shadow’ sequence. My ability is ‘Shadow Attendant.’”

“How should I address you?”

“Lord Rast, you may simply call me ‘Shadow Servant.’”

Rast gave a slight nod, fingers brushing over the books, feeling their rough texture.

“Shadow,” the ancient name for this sequence in the Nightworld.

In the present world, it was more often referred to as “Mind Demon.”

To Rast, it was an old acquaintance.

Back in Frostwater Town, the assassin from the secret organization Bronze Rose that he and Shiltina encountered had belonged to the Shadow sequence.

They had, in a way, shared quite the soul-baring encounter.

Back then, the The Fool’s Library and Nightblade had not yet awakened, and the assassin’s grave now had weeds three feet tall.

Otherwise, Rast truly wondered if he could have established a bond with her.

After all, the Bond system of the The Fool’s Library had never stated anything about only positive relationships.

Positive ties like friendship, love, and kinship were one kind of bond.

But reverse emotions—especially life-and-death hatred—should also qualify.

And he and Shiltina had personally killed her.

A bond forged through life and death—shouldn’t that be enough to count as Level 10?

He’d definitely try it if he ever got the chance.

The thought passed in a flash. As Rast quickly flipped through the books, he observed the shadowy figure before him.

A sixth-rank Transcendent, and one whose ability sounded combat-oriented.

Even within the Shoreguard headquarters, this was undoubtedly top-tier, a true core figure of the organization…

Excluding those stationed at the Shattered Coast or guarding major human settlements, there couldn’t be more than three sixth-rank Shoreguards at the Watchtower who could be dispatched freely.

And yet, Sisel had sent Shadow Servant to him directly as deputy captain, to be under his full command.

It only showed how determined the Shoreguard leader was to see the “Paradise Annihilation” operation succeed.

What Rast didn’t know… was whether this “Shadow Servant” knew about Sisel’s follow-up orders—those concerning the Gravekeeper.

He’d have to find a way to probe that.

With that thought, Rast’s eyes scanned over the first two books.

They were mostly hand-copied Transcendent knowledge on the “High Tower” sequence, likely written by Sisel himself—the ink was still slightly wet.

To Rast, this knowledge was the key to rapid advancement.

Before heading to “Paradise,” he intended to spend several months, maybe half a year, fully digesting the material.

Otherwise, with his current meager second-rank strength, everything would be inconvenient.

With that in mind, Rast set aside the two books.

Then, he picked up the third volume.

This was intel compiled by the Shoreguard organization, even including the findings of dispatched scout teams.

Information on that underworld nation—also known as “Paradise.”

“What do you think of the plan to annihilate Paradise—any thoughts or suggestions?”

Rast looked at Shadow Servant, who appeared to be sitting in a chair, his expression solemn even through the shadows.

“In my opinion, saying we’re going to destroy an entire nation…”

“The only truly critical target in Paradise is just one person—”

“The Queen of the Underworld.”

Despite his high rank, Shadow Servant seemed like the diligent type—or perhaps a true overachiever.

Clearly, he had come prepared and even anticipated the questions Rast would ask.

As soon as Rast posed the question, Shadow Servant responded without hesitation.

“The entire Underworld is essentially supported by that Queen alone.”

“Furthermore, the item that maintains the entire realm—an artifact of the ‘God of Death’—is also in her hands.”

“In other words, if we can somehow defeat her, the Queen of the Underworld… then even without further effort, the entire Paradise would collapse on its own.”

Shadow Servant proposed seriously.

“However, that Queen won’t be easy to deal with.”

“She herself is likely around fifth or sixth rank—manageable in terms of power… but she seems to possess an ability that directly manipulates death.”

“And with that ‘Death God Relic’ on her person, in the Underworld’s home territory, she can even briefly exhibit power close to Legendary level.”

“Also, she almost never leaves her palace, which is located in the heart of Paradise’s royal capital.”

“To reach her, we’d have to cross the entire capital. Both entry and retreat would be enormous obstacles.”

Shadow Servant took out another book and showed Rast the densely written strategic plans inside.

“I’ve prepared several battle plans in advance.”

“But without exception, all of them involve tremendous risk—fighting a near-Legendary enemy in their home turf.”

“And even in the best case, our Shoreguard team would suffer horrific losses.”

“Losing over half the team would be optimistic. Total annihilation is a real possibility.”

“Of course, as Shoreguards, necessary sacrifice does not deter us…”

Shadow Servant’s voice was firm and resolute, filled with unshakable resolve.

But then, his words were interrupted by a raised hand from Rast.

“Actually, I think there’s a much simpler solution.”

“…What?”

Shadow Servant looked up, puzzled.

Though he respected Rast’s authority as team leader due to Sisel’s assignment…

He could still sense that Rast’s aura was very faint—at most second or third rank.

From a tactical perspective, he didn’t believe this captain had come up with anything better than what he had prepared in just a few minutes.

“Well, since she’s the Queen of the Underworld, she must be female, right?”

Rast’s voice paused briefly, cold and emotionless.

“In that case…”

“How about a honey trap?”