No matter how hard Hegemon searched his mind, he couldn't find a single way out of the impending disaster. Before he could even formulate a strategy, King Steadfast—the legendary Sword of the Death God—executed a zero-second slash. The blade moved faster than time itself, instantly severing Hegemon's life.
Standing before Hegemon's lifeless body, Lily remained eerily calm. She quickly analyzed her odds of survival against King Steadfast. However, the King cared nothing for her or her calculations. Without uttering a word, he swung his blade once more, cutting her down before she even had a chance to react.
Hegemon gasped as he materialized into the third timeline. The sheer psychological weight of dying, returning, and retaining the phantom pain of his previous deaths hit him all at once, forcing him to his knees as he vomited. His body was pushed to its absolute physical and mental limits.
Unlike him, Lily wasn't surprised by the sudden shift. Within her mind rested the Infinite Era a vast reservoir containing the memories, concepts, and knowledge of every existing Infinite timeline.
"You've worked hard, Hegemon," Lily said softly, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.
As her palm touched him, Hegemon felt a small portion of his energy being drained into her.
Lily offered a subtle smile. "Thanks to this tiny bit of your energy, I've given us a fighting chance to escape."
At that exact moment, King Steadfast lunged forward to strike again. But Lily was ready.
"Sealed Eye," she whispered.
Her eyes illuminated with a radiant glow as her gaze locked onto King Steadfast. Instantly, the entity's physical form was digitized into holy scriptures and dragged into an isolated digital dimension, sealing him away. King Steadfast immediately began thrashing against the barrier, attempting to destroy the virtual prison from within, but breaking free would take him at least a hundred years.
Lily let out a triumphant smile. King Steadfast was extraordinarily powerful—he had managed to claim her life in the previous two timelines. Luckily, those deaths hadn't been in vain; she had used the prior timelines to accumulate the exact amount of energy required to unleash her sealing art.
Without losing a moment, Lily tended to Hegemon's wounds, healing his body before dragging him away to safety.
When Hegemon finally opened his eyes, he found himself resting inside a quiet cave. He looked up at Lily, feeling a deep sense of relief.
"You dragged me all the way here..." Hegemon said, his voice weak. "Thank you, Lily."
"Don't mention it," Lily replied casually. "I helped you because you might be useful to me in the future. Consider it an investment."
Hegemon pulled himself up and began to confide in her about everything he had experienced across the loops. To his surprise, Lily responded with pinpoint accuracy, asking questions that showed she already knew the answers. She spoke with absolute certainty about the path leading out of the woods.
"This forest is endless," Lily explained, leaning against the cave wall. "There is no physical end to it unless you locate the End Gate—the one and only true exit."
It's like she can read my mind, Hegemon thought, staring at her in wonder. "Is your power mind reading?"
"No," Lily answered smoothly. "When you possess Infinite Knowledge, you simply know almost everything in advance. It's less like reading minds and more like predicting the ultimate future."
She turned her gaze toward him, her eyes searching his. "Tell me, Hegemon... do you actually understand how your own power works?"
"I think it's just simple reincarnation into a new timeline whenever I die," Hegemon replied.
Lily shook her head gently. "I don't think so. Your power is far more complicated than you realize."