NOVEL WEB chapter 182
107. Forward
“In short, at this stage, the Eternal Clock can probably extend your time up to sixty times at most, with a limit of one minute. Note that it’s one minute in your perception, and in real flow, it’s only one second.
However, your current physical body can only barely withstand the burden of ten times the time while maintaining normal speed. So I suggest that when you use it, don’t just crank it up to the maximum like you did this time. Because aside from making you feel euphoric for a brief moment before turning you into a useless shell, it serves no purpose,” Teacher Meila said earnestly.
“Ten times…”
Mu En looked down at his hands. Thanks to the flames of the Withering King, his injuries had mostly healed, but the emptiness within him still felt incredibly strong.
It seemed he wouldn’t be able to activate it again in the short term.
But he was still very clear about the power of this ability.
Gaining ten times the speed in a short time, combined with the indestructible Elizabeth, could potentially lead to a qualitative change in his strength.
It could even significantly compensate for his overly singular methods.
Moreover, this power was capable of evolution.
From that incredibly slow world just now, he could see how much his strength would increase when he fully mastered the sixty-fold time extension.
Just thinking about that handsome old man wielding a folding knife was enough to make him feel invigorated.
“And this is just the beginning.”
Teacher Meila continued:
“The current Eternal Clock can only affect your own time, so in a sense, it currently serves merely as an accelerator for your consciousness.
However, as the subsequent steps progress in an orderly manner, and your connection with the Eternal Clock becomes stronger, gaining more of its enhancements, this authority over time will expand from your own self to external objects, and eventually even influence the world itself.
At that time, the true power of the Eternal Clock will be revealed.”
Saying this, Teacher Meila looked at Mu En, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth:
“By then, those strange ideas in your head might not be impossible to realize.”
“…”
Mu En’s cheek twitched, scratching his head and laughing awkwardly:
“Wha… what strange ideas? Teacher Meila, what are you talking about? I don’t understand, hahaha…”
“Just pretend you don’t understand.”
Teacher Meila cutely stretched and walked deeper into the sea of flowers:
“Keep it up, kid. Although the Eternal Clock is powerful, the stronger the power, the more it requires you to take one step at a time. Otherwise, it won’t be you mastering the power, but the power mastering you.
So, I won’t proceed to the next step until you can fully master the current sixty-fold.”
“I’ll do it as soon as possible.”
Mu En clenched his fist, his gaze resolute: “Definitely.”
“That’s the spirit.”
Teacher Meila waved her hand:
“You can go out now. After working for so long, I’m tired and need to rest for a while.”
“Okay, I won’t disturb you, Teacher Meila.”
Mu En respectfully bid farewell and prepared to turn away, but after taking just two steps, Teacher Meila called out to her:
“By the way, that Aesop text, I will continue to decipher it. Right now, that moon doesn’t have time to pay attention here, so I might find some loopholes.”
Mu En was taken aback, and instantly overjoyed:
“Thank you, Teacher Meila!”
“There’s no need for thanks, but there is one more thing.”
Lying in the sea of flowers, Teacher Meila suddenly turned over, propping her little head up to look at Mu En, and said:
“Ten days from now, there will be a lunar eclipse in this city.”
“A lunar eclipse?”
Mu En blinked,
“What lunar eclipse?”
A lunar eclipse should be a big event in this era, and logically, someone should have been hyping up the news long before it happened.
Why had she never heard of it?
“Well, you don’t need to ask why there’s a troublesome lunar eclipse. I just wanted to remind you of something.”
Teacher Meila’s lips still curled into a smile, but Mu En felt as if she was completely seen through by her crimson eyes:
“It’s nothing wrong to be a naughty child who wants to sleep obediently for one night, but this city… Belrand, will become very interesting soon. So, it’s better for you to be a little cautious.”
……
……
“A lunar eclipse?”
After stepping out of the mercury well, Mu En was still pondering Teacher Meila’s words.
However, many things that seemed disjointed would become clear once combined with previous information.
“Sure enough, no matter how I think about it, there’s only one possibility: the lunar eclipse refers to the Silent Moon being rubbed against the ground by the Withering King.
Ten days from now… I didn’t expect it to be so soon.”
It seems the Withering King is even more ferocious than imagined.
No… or rather, after a series of self-rescue attempts by the Silent Moon failed, it ended up wasting its strength for no reason, making the gap even more pronounced.
“As for Belrand becoming interesting…”
This matter was also easy to figure out.
That moon had already done so much, it certainly wouldn’t just sit idly by at the last moment, allowing itself to be completely consumed by the Withering King.
So He must be doing something.
And from the looks of it, He is certainly up to something in Beilan, and the senior will be an important piece in His game.
He won’t let you succeed so easily, even if you are the Evil God.
“Black Book.”
Mu En gently called out in his heart.
After a long while.
The black book deep within his consciousness finally stirred, and a reluctant font appeared on the blank pages.
【Here】
Why does it feel like this thing is becoming less reliable?
Mu En’s lips twitched,
“Do you know the purpose of the Silent Moon?”
【No】
“Why not? Can’t you foresee everything for me?”
【I can only foresee parts related to you】
“I see.”
So it really isn’t that easy to know the Evil God’s purpose?
Mu En thought for a moment and continued to ask:
“What about Serpent’s Disease? Do you know its treatment?”
The font in the black book began to writhe, coalescing into a complete sentence.
But within that blurry mosaic, Mu En could still only make out four words.
【Tears of True Love】
“Even you are affected by the Evil God?”
【It’s not me who is affected, but you.】
“What do you mean…”
Mu En paused for a moment, then suddenly realized.
Is this what Teacher Meila referred to as the suggestion from the Evil God?
In other words…
“Under the influence of the Evil God’s suggestion, even if I see the true answer, the only thing I can understand is these four words?”
【Exactly】
【But these four words are absolutely true】
【Don’t Worry】
“… It’s quite rare to find a bit of comfort from you.” Mu En forced a smile.
【Keep it up】.
After revealing these last two words, the black book closed again, sinking deep into Mu En’s consciousness, falling silent as if in a deep sleep.
“Who would have thought I’d be encouraged by a book.”
Mu En chuckled self-deprecatingly and looked up at the horizon.
The weather had long ceased to be clear; thick clouds obscured the sunlight, and the entire world was enveloped in heavy shadows.
“It seems tonight will be a good night for a moonless, windy evening.”