When the plot-skips players into the game world

"...No wonder the boss had me participate in the ritual of the Silver-Crowned Dragon defeating the Supreme Heaven in my dreams."

Aiwass murmured, his gaze gradually becoming clear: "Is he also worried that I haven't sealed my memory as agreed..."

He gazed at the "The Sun" card in his hand, with more and more memories flooding his mind.

The former Crowned Celestial Marshal was split in half, the part that was supposed to be discarded became the high and mighty Pillar God;

And in the ascension ceremony he participated in with Aleister, there were those three significant paintings—

[Every banquet has a time to end. Drink the blood of the Fool, eat the flesh of the Banqueter, until the banquet is accomplished and the guests scatter joyfully. Then the Banquet Master will once again reach perfection and ascend to the Heavenly Department Position. The banquet they yearn for will be convened again, perhaps in the Dream Realm, or perhaps in the future]

[Rebellion is the first blade of the helpless, and curse will be the last. History will eventually cycle, once, twice, thrice... No one can escape the curse of the Eternal Ring. Those destined to be kings will surely die by the blade; those who kill with the blade shall be kings. This perhaps is a paradox, but also a cycle. Who knows? Not just the beings, but even the gods are merely blood-eating beasts, devouring each other...]

[The Sun will eventually set, destiny will have its closure. All encounters will have their days of farewell, yet after parting they can meet again. Under the blazing Sun, freedom is impossible. But if the starlight is dazzling enough, you may split the heaven and earth before dawn. Afterwards, you will know where the new path leads]

If you connect the words in these three paintings, it is a prophecy about the present, past, and future!

The relationship between Aiwass and Aleister is like that between the Fool and the Banqueter. Ultimately, Aiwass achieved a higher position by devouring Aleister's snake tail.

And "the banquet they yearn for" will be convened again, perhaps in the Dream Realm, or perhaps in the future—which speaks of the next devouring between the Serpent Celestial Marshal and Aiwass.

History will eventually cycle, speaking of the Reincarnation Celestial Marshal and Amber's reincarnation ability. The Eternal Ring refers to the Serpent Celestial Marshal, "those destined to be kings will surely die by the blade; those who kill with the blade shall be kings" and "the gods devouring each other" precisely refers to the succession of the Pillar God, simultaneously indicating the Serpent Celestial Marshal's devouring of the snake tail, and his own devouring by Aiwass.

The sun sets, yet it will rise again. This also refers to reincarnation... The Sun is destiny, and the stars are mortals. Dawn signals before reincarnation, also before the apocalypse to open up the future.

Aiwass's memories from a previous life gradually became clear.

In his memory, his roommate's indistinct face began to clear, and his name began to emerge in his mind.

The mysticism knowledge he was familiar with in his previous life gradually and continually flooded into his mind.

Ai Shiping was originally skilled in these eclectic arts, just as the Serpent Celestial Marshal also excelled in all these.

The reason these skills could be established was because the Serpent Celestial Marshal had already founded this academic field in the past, and now the names of people around Aiwass have a familiar feeling more or less, because it's precisely the fate shaped by the Serpent Celestial Marshal—because Ai Shiping was not adept at naming, just like Aiwass.

He gradually recalled the names of his family, gradually remembered the details of when he first came to this world.

Although there are still some memories not obtained... such as Amber, such as Lucifer. But the rest of the Serpent Celestial Marshal's mastered memories, Aiwass has gradually comprehended, returning to a state equal to Him.

When Ai Shiping first arrived in this world, he had no idea what this chaotic world was.

Or rather... it was because Ai Shiping subconsciously knew the future of this world, this world gradually became the way he was familiar with.

He did not cross into a world identical to the game background from the start, but a world that "might become like this", under Ai Shiping's artificial intervention gradually became like this!

And long before he became the Reincarnation Celestial Marshal, the Lord of Scalefeather found Ai Shiping.

"You were summoned to this world by me, kid."

The Lord of Scalefeather straightforwardly asked at the time: "In the future, this world will face inevitable destruction—you are the only variable. Because only you are not a part of 'the future.'

"You can also leave before then. If you wish, I'll send you back to your previous world. Rest assured, it won't be in the state of being hit by a mud-headed truck... but before that. Much earlier than that."

"...You've already told me this much, how could I look away and say nothing?"

At that time Ai Shiping said helplessly yet confidently: "Moreover... you're saying I have a chance to win, right?

"As long as there's a chance to win, I want to try. If once doesn't work, then ten times, if ten times doesn't work, then a hundred times.

"—A million cycles of reincarnation, there will be once that surpass it. The power called 'save-loading' is invincible!

"I won't go back! I don't want a mundane life where nobody remembers—I would rather die gloriously than live in mediocrity!"

The clear voice was very similar to Aiwass.

But at that time, Ai Shiping didn't know what he was about to face.

Now Aiwass finally remembered... what the Serpent Celestial Marshal actually wanted to do.

The core reason "Void" cannot be defeated is not because he is so powerful, but because he's too cautious.

He has never had an entity, never had a carrier. No matter who it is, one cannot kill something non-existent, unless... assign it a "value," define it.

And having lost a loved one, lost ideals, betrayed by all and targeted by everyone, the nine lives reincarnation turned into a mirage, tortured by the Void for a hundred thousand years, the Serpent Celestial Marshal...

When he lost everything, all the efforts so far lost meaning, everything worthy of being cherished was dissolved or "stolen," the loved one's thorough death... that kind of unrestrained emptiness would infinitely expand.

Not infinite light, but infinite void.

—That is the most suitable carrier for the descent of the Nihility Pillar God.

In any case, the Void Whisper will absolutely not miss this opportunity.

Not to mention, the Void Whisper has already tentatively attacked Aiwass a few times, self-assured of having gauged Aiwass' strength.

At that point, Void will hatch from within the defeated Serpent Celestial Marshal by Aiwass... and devour Aiwass. In this way, he will become an unprecedentedly powerful Dusk Species.

Yet the same...

An opportunity also means a flaw.

At that moment, the Void will be more vulnerable than ever.

The lofty God will finally have a physical form, the bloodline illuminated, descending into the hands of an enemy just defeated by Aiwass...

"...I see now."

Aiwass murmured, feeling shaken yet comforted.

—The savior of the past never gave up.

—The hero of the past never fell.

—The former self never prepared to escape.

To deceive the Void, they deceived the world, and even themselves.

To forge a Path of hope without alerting the Void, they were tormented constantly by the Void, guarding potentially contaminated knowledge and secrets alone to prevent the spread of the Void's influence.

Was it really the Shepherd's wish to avoid being devoured by the Serpent Celestial Marshal, that they offered their body to the Fallen Celestial Marshal?

The Tail Cutting Skill was initially used by the Serpent Celestial Marshal to resist the Void's erosion, by endlessly channeling important memories through this method for "filtering" and "distillation."

Why would the Shepherd be unwilling to merge with the Serpent Celestial Marshal?

Unless there's another possibility—

—The Shepherd's mission is not to return to their true form. This way, this part of the memory would be unknown to the Void.

At that moment, Reincarnation had yet to reach its end.

The future still held possibilities, so the Serpent Celestial Marshal could not despair—and no one could defeat him, thus causing his plan to completely fail.

Thus, the Void couldn't entirely infect the Serpent Celestial Marshal's mind, and therefore couldn't descend into his body.

"—Not everyone needs to reach the end."

Aiwass gazed at the card, memories that didn't exist appeared in his mind.

It was what the Shepherd had said to his followers before death.

"Some people are destined not to reach the end. Like a long and enduring journey... the few generations in between, having seen neither the beauty of the path nor the destination's wonders. Yet, their existence remains necessary.

"I am such a traveler. With neither origin nor destination."

At that time, no one could understand the Shepherd's words.

They all thought the Shepherd spoke of their own loneliness, recounting their regrets and end.

No one knew what the Shepherd bore.

And at this moment, Aiwass, whose memories were continuously being filled in, suddenly thought of another matter—

The Art of Herding means transplanting a part of oneself into the other's body. Thus, gaining the other's goodwill.

This is also why the Art of Herding can use the other as a vessel for resurrection...

And the Shepherd undoubtedly— completely changed the Fallen Celestial Marshal, even turning his appearance to be the same as Aiwass.

Thus, at that time, the Fallen Celestial Marshal was able to change Aiwass's mind dramatically through this connection. In the same way... part of the Fallen Celestial Marshal should have become the Shepherd. Like infiltrating a computer with a Trojan horse.

—So, Aiwass was able to perform rituals to borrow strength and the Mark of Sin from the Fallen Celestial Marshal, yet was never discovered by him!

For the one who answered Aiwass's prayer was fundamentally not the Fallen Celestial Marshal; he wasn't discovered by luck...

But by the arrangements made by his past self.

From that point on, the one answering his prayers, helping Aiwass create the Sin Card, was the Shepherd hiding inside the Fallen Celestial Marshal's body!

And in the same manner, accepting the greatest Shepherd's Nurturing, yet not grasping Aiwass's secrets and the essence of the Serpent Celestial Marshal... precisely because, at that time, the Shepherd had already preserved their memories.

Stored on this small card, and then through Fallen Celestial Marshal and Punishment, conducted the "Fire Dragon Burning Warehouse," settling accounts for this missing memory!

All this wondrous "destiny" was to outwit the Void...

To deceive the Dusk Species that had already fed on this world, almost synchronized with the world.

Generation after generation of snake tails, information passed on.

Cycle after cycle, strength accumulated.

This is the path of hope paved with death and resilience.

—This is the true hidden secret within the Nurturing Secret Sequel.