Leyton raised his head to glance at that illusory cosmos at the very top of the wilderness. It originally belonged to a type of manifestation of the Astral World at the information level, but due to the closure of the Western Continent, it had already broken contact with the true Astral World. This expanse of illusory cosmos had become a mapping of information by the Knowledge Moor.
Between the layered and illusory stars, specks of silver-white became prominent, swimming rapidly and outlining the shape of a key that turned slowly, looking as though it were guiding the direction for the people below.
...Are you also working a part-time job as the Big Dipper now... After muttering to himself in his heart, Leyton retracted his gaze, strolled upon the wilderness, and proclaimed with a cold and solemn face:
"I am knowledge itself, truth, and civilization, the process, and the endpoint, the source of all mysteries!"
His voice was like a type of announcement. The illusory cosmos overhead rippled out with ring after ring of ripples, and one transparent, distorted face after another became prominent, as one gaze after another fell upon his body.
The entire world, and even the cosmos outside Earth, all information grew active at this very moment.
The colors of the entire world grew vivid at this instant, and the knowledge contained within them looked as though it had come alive, wanting to break free from the shackles of matter.
All books became incomparably heavy, as though the knowledge and information recorded inside possessed a tangible weight, and all spoken words possessed an effect similar to words of power.
.....
Within the true cosmos outside the Astral World, one planet after another rotating around the sun began to change, either extending strange and distorted tentacles, spewing viscous and pitch-black fluid, or becoming pitch-black and heavy, akin to real black holes...
Silently and soundlessly, individual transparent, distorted faces that were difficult to describe in detail materialized upon the invisible barrier outside Earth.
They strove to see something, but hampered by the barrier left behind by the Creator and the seal existing on the Western Continent, They could see nothing. They could only perceive through the changes of the universe that a new Great Old One had been born—a Great Old One representing knowledge itself and symbolizing cosmic civilization and development had appeared.
.....
In the central region of the Sonia Sea, the Gargas Archipelago's capital, the "City of White" Nas, Merlin Hermes—wearing a formal long dress coat, sporting a top hat, and holding a silver mirror in his hand—appeared here silently and soundlessly.
While taking a step forward, he suddenly froze on the spot. The colors within his field of view suddenly intensified, as though he had beheld the spirit world, with starlight faintly flashing past.
"Heh... he moves quite fast."
Lamenting slightly, he continued forward without stopping his pace, walking toward the city governor's manor here.
Ever since Feysac was defeated, the Gargas Archipelago had declared independence and established a new political regime. The Loen royal family and the two orthodox churches did not pursue any charges regarding this either, still maintaining normal commercial interactions, seemingly tacitly accepting their independence.
Upon the surface of the silver mirror held in his hand, ring after ring of watery light rippled out, and individual silver Loen words materialized upon the mirror surface:
"Great Master, the information of the entire world—no, the entire universe—has grown active. Abstract knowledge has obtained tangible power; even speaking and writing have become difficult."
Merlin Hermes raised his hand to tap the frame of the silver mirror, saying casually:
"No need to pay it mind. This won't last too long; it's merely a chain reaction brought about by the fusion of power and authority upon a fresh advancement."
After keeping quiet for a brief moment, new words began to become prominent upon the silver mirror's surface once more:
"Master, the information of this world seems to have experienced some changes. The originally uncertain future is converging and solidifying."
"I see it! Someone is modifying the information inside the spirit world..."
The words manifested by the Magic Mirror Arrodes suddenly stuttered and then vanished, followed by the appearance of individual deep-blue words gleaming with starlight:
"This mirror can already count as omniscient after borrowing your status. It seems I will have to create some encrypted information targeted at omniscience in the future."
Merlin Hermes narrowed his eyes slightly, inquiring out of curiosity: "You already possess the capability to penetrate the seal of the Western Continent?"
Upon the silver mirror's surface, a burst of watery light rippled out, and individual new words materialized:
"Of course, the status of a Great Old One allows for penetrating the seal, with the exception of the unlucky Genie."
Merlin Hermes nodded without much expression, continuing to ask: "When do you plan to tear open the seal and let the Western Continent reappear?"
"Not certain yet. I do not wish to directly release those Sefirot. Of course, if the chips they offer are sufficient, I can help them a little."
The deep-blue words gleaming with starlight manifested for two seconds before all vanishing. Subsequently, individual silver-white words materialized upon the silver mirror's surface:
"Great Master, I was coerced by someone. I cannot control myself, boohoo~"
At the very end of the words, a tiny emoji of a crying and frightened figure was attached.
Arrodes's performance made Klein feel that his humanity had increased a bit more. Hooking a smile at the corner of his mouth, he said:
"He has already left. As long as you restrain yourself from casually peering into information, he won't notice you."
"I... I will try my best." Upon the Magic Mirror Arrodes's surface, individual silver-white words materialized, appearing not quite confident.
.....
In South Intis's capital, the "God-Gifted city" Miras, inside a lounge in the Supreme Court, the three individuals who were in conversation—Bonavia, Bernadette, and Nast—suddenly went silent. Having already become Angels, They keenly perceived some changes.
After a brief observation, Nast voiced his contemplation: "The underlying rules of the world related to knowledge and information have experienced a change."
Opposite him, neither Bonavia nor Bernadette returned words. They seemed to be in a certain state of daze, with light and shadow continuously floating within their eyes.
This state did not last too long, ending within less than two seconds.
Nast inquired out of some curiosity: "What did you see?"
Bonavia furrowed his brow with a slight look of daze. While recalling the scenes he had just seen in his mind, he described:
"I saw civilization, saw the end of the steam era, saw the brilliance of another era. That is the established future, the development direction of the next stage of this world."
"The brilliance of civilization bestowed upon me an abundance of inspiration and knowledge. I seem to understand how to go about promoting the development of civilization now."
"Aside from these, I also saw the catastrophe arriving from the cosmos. Once we cross the catastrophe, our footprints will extend to the deep, dark, and boundless universe."
Nast nodded hesitantly, then shifted his gaze toward Bernadette. The latter nodded gently, narrating in a calm tone:
"I saw endless mysteries, saw an abundance of knowledge. A blurred figure carrying a lantern always traveled alongside me, guiding the way for me."
While speaking, she reached her hand forward, taking an incomparably illusory yet giving off an exceptionally heavy feeling book out from the void.
As the book pages flipped, various fairy tales recorded inside were exposed. This information was alive; they continuously enacted various plots inside the book according to the framework of the stories, constructing a near-real world.
"This is a type of favor. The Savant shared a portion of knowledge's authority with me, allowing me to grasp the portion belonging to fairy tales within it."
Bernadette's tone did not sound excited, nor did it carry much emotion.
Bonavia nodded gently, lamenting with some reflection:
"When civilization advances to the information era, everyone can share the authority of knowledge, more or less."
Regarding this sudden change that appeared, Nast likewise lamented with some reflection: "It seems that fellow has taken a step further."
.....
The Western Continent, enveloped by countless gray fogs. Above the wilderness where the dark and heavy tower stood, individual transparent or distorted faces became prominent within the illusory cosmos.
Some of them were wrapped in disaster, some were accompanied by death, some looked like the materialization of various emotions and desires, and some were half-fused into order and half-returned to shadow...
"Are you all here to block the door?"
Leyton narrowed his eyes slightly, continuously taking steps forward. Layers of transparent steps condensed by starlight became prominent underneath following his steps, propping up his body and moving continuously upward.
The instant he touched the cosmos, as though penetrating a mirror surface, everything turned upside down. Leyton appeared within an expanse of wilderness mottled with light and shadow.
Fragments of civilization evolved into various types of scenery upon the wilderness, either stationary or wandering...
This expanse of wilderness was just like a picture album that collected the traces of civilization.
Before Leyton could carefully size up the surroundings, the sky suddenly grew dark. Accompanied by the illusory sound of flowing water, all light vanished, and one after another crimson, blazing white, or purplish-red meteor fell from the sky, as various types of large or small insects continuously drilled out from the ground, surging toward him like a black tide...
Snap!
A crisp sound of a finger snap echoed upon the wilderness, crushing the roar of the meteors slicing through the air, and overriding the rising and falling hissing sounds within the worm tide.
Upon the fragments of civilization that evolved into various things around him, streams of dim glimmer—unbrilliant, un-clear, devoid of any color, and looking as though they were composed of an immense volume of illusory matters—burst forth.
This light rapidly swept across the surroundings, illuminating the lightless darkness and reverting the matter it touched into the most basic particulate structures. Be it the worm tide or the meteors, they all rapidly disappeared without a trace.
After everything vanished, an orange-red twilight light became prominent out of thin air, outlining a human face in midair that carried connotations such as the endpoint, the end, death, silence, and slumber.
Although this face was elderly, one could still see the exquisite softness of the facial features from the contours. It was a facial characteristic entirely distinct from the Northern and Southern Continents, belonging to an obvious Oriental race.
It exchanged a glance with Leyton, then spat out individual words close to Elvish with a raspy voice:
"You have not yet fulfilled the promise made when you took away the river water."
Leyton nodded calmly: "I know. I will not directly tear open the seal left behind by the Celestial Worthy. The conflict between you and the orthodox deities of the outside world will destroy the civilization nurtured by this world. This deviates from my path."
The face outlined by the orange-red light seemed to already understand what Leyton wished to express. Before he could finish speaking, it opened its mouth directly:
"I can give a corresponding promise. Those insignificant lives are not highly regarded in my eyes. I am unable to appreciate the brilliance of civilization, nor do I have interest."
The corners of Leyton's lips hooked, revealing a smile as he said: "Then, happy cooperation."