When the plot-skips players into the game world

The goal is not the Celestial Marshal, nor the Pillar God.

But to become an existence above the Pillar God—

"...Are you serious?"

Walking with Aiwass on the path to the basement, Sherlock couldn't help but lower his voice to ask, "As a Priest, is it okay to say such things? Won't... it offend some taboo?"

Since hearing Aiwass's words, he had been somewhat restless. He didn't know exactly what he was panicking about; he just couldn't settle down to think anymore.

"Of course not."

Aiwass shook his head.

If he were the former Aiwass, he might have humbly said something like, "I don't know why I'm saying this," or "Just a reason to lead them to goodness."

But the Aiwass of today finally faced his real goal.

He didn't feel ashamed of it, nor was he timid—like a student without good grades who says their goal is Tsinghua or Beijing University, always worried about being ridiculed. Even if he yearned for such a future, when asked he would reply with a bashful, restrained smile, "Oh, any will do."

It's not that he dared not dream.

He just dared not speak. ReadaheadandgetupdatesbyvisitingM^VLEMPYR.

With such ambition in his heart, he worried about failure. If he boasted about it yet couldn't achieve it, how shameful would that be?

—Aiwass used to be like this.

When he arrived in this world, awakening past life memory, he thought of becoming a Pillar God. At that time, he would curl under his quilt before sleep, seriously pondering which Pillar God could be replaced, whom he would oppose among the Celestial Marshals, and what hidden dangers and disasters might arise after a Pillar God's departure.

He even thought of "what name he should have if he became a Celestial Marshal or Pillar God."

Whether he was a transmigrator, a reincarnator, or a fragment of a Celestial Marshal—he wanted to be the top existence in this world. It wasn't an unreasonable wish, right?

In another transmigrator's case, they might have thought of conquering the world since the first day.

But Aiwass's personality was too gentle.

If he wanted to become a Pillar God, it meant he would surely oppose many Celestial Marshal Pillar Gods. People would die because of it, interests harmed—every change among the Pillar Gods resulted in ethnic extinction wars. And his mere thought would alter the world's future, subjecting countless people to lives, good or bad.

That's why he initially wanted to become a Celestial Marshal.

Because if he were only a Celestial Marshal, it wouldn't affect anyone. He could protect the world, save others with no inherent duty and wasn't as the world's "pillar." He only needed to live his life… like the Celestial Marshals in the Dream Realm today, finding a place to claim as king, setting rules, establishing a domain, sheltering followers.

Just protecting his small plot, with the outside world irrelevant to him.

—But now, these Blood Slaves have made Aiwass reflect for an instant.

He didn't ignore the sufferings of these Blood Slaves, but that was knowledge merely summarized in textbooks, lightly described in a few lines. Those words were too light, to the point they could make a paper fly.

Now, Aiwass finally witnessed everything firsthand. He thoroughly understood the bloody depths of those words.

The paper he imagined was now soaked in blood, never to flutter again.

And what about Parthia? The Northern Mountains? Beyond humans, those Trolls? Avianfolk? Nearly extinct Winged Ones?

In the historical river, countless races rose and fell. Amid the thickness of infinite time, an individual's despair was indeed as cheap as dust.

Why did the Pillar Gods turn a blind eye to this?

Aiwass used to convince himself and others with "the Pillar God's duty is to maintain world stability," "Pillar Gods are spokespeople for the Source River, cannot act freely," etc. But now he finally understood—at its core, it was because the Pillar Gods were too weak.

The gods of this world are too limited in what they can do. They can create hundreds of new races, bestow life upon works of art, foresee millions of futures, reverse time... But what each Pillar God can do is too confined, and the differences in Paths prevent true unity.

"Only by becoming an existence above the Pillar God can one attain the power to change everything."

Aiwass felt no shame for such an arrogant claim, nor any reservations.

He slightly turned his head towards Sherlock, saying calmly, "You must have understood this long ago too, right?"

"...More or less."

Sherlock slightly nodded: "Specifically... I realized this possibility when I learned the Nine Pillars Divine Church was founded earlier than the Silver-Crowned Dragon's birth.

"—Clearly Elves and Giants are foes, many Pillar Gods dislike the Supreme Heaven, yet why do Elves still worship the Nine Pillar Gods?"

"Simple reasoning," Aiwass continued, "because it imparts a subconscious notion to people that 'the Nine Pillar Gods are united.'"

"But obviously, the Pillar Gods can't be united. Transcendents in the Material Realm oppose each other due to Path conflicts. Pure Path beings like Pillar Gods are inevitably more so—even if they might maintain peace in attitude, their viewpoints on certain matters differ. Firm belief in the correctness of these views is their power's source."

Sherlock softly said, "Thus the Pillar Gods can never progress together, only relatively compromise."

"With the Silver-Crowned Dragon replacing the Supreme Heaven, a new balance was achieved. But any balance is precarious... today is no exception."

"Do you intend to replace the Serpent Father? Or Candle Master? Surely not the Eternal Self?"

"I've said, I aim to be an existence above the Pillar Gods. Higher than the sky, above everything!"

Aiwass finally, in the Material Realm, in a world where every word must be known, clearly and openly stated his purpose: "Dedication and Transcendence... I want to walk both Paths, possess both Source Rivers.

"—There's only one answer, I want it all!"

At this moment.

In the Dream Realm.

With her solo dance, the Eternal Self paused for a moment, then resumed.

The difference was, she began to set her sights on Aiwass.

"Hehe..."

Wandering in the forest, Candle Master slightly raised his head, giving a pleased chuckle.

"This fellow..."

Hourglass sneered: "Why not delay a bit? If it were a bit later, everyone could be doomed together, how nice?"

Before him sat a pill furnace emitting blue smoke. His sleeves folded together, it was unclear which hand was above.

"Finally..."

The Silver-Crowned Dragon gave a low murmur.

His originally ice-like indifferent eyes now faintly tinged red. Beneath him, within the Ice Mountain, the lively Demon Dragons were no longer visible.

And the girl sealed in Amber, eyes shut, finally ended her Sleep.

"Teacher..."

She slowly opened her eyes.

As Amber opened her eyes, time in the entire Material Realm fell into complete suspension.

No person, no deity—not even Pillar Gods—could maintain self-awareness within.

And after nine seconds, she fell asleep again, slowly closing her eyes.

As Amber slept, time began to flow once more.