Chapter 413

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Chapter 413: The Blank Fire

“Oh no, oh no, how frightening…”

The elevator trembled under the influence of magic. It knew very well the true identities of the Imperial Guards stepping within its very body.

The phrase that truly determined the existence of the Air Alliance!

Bai Yan had already noticed that five Imperial Guards had stepped out of the elevator. Leading them was a tall, mighty white-haired beastman—a red-eyed lion dressed in a white high-collared suit. Towering at three meters, his rugged appearance spoke of immense strength, his muscular frame bulging with power. Yet, there was something curious about him—a refined, gentlemanly demeanor hidden beneath his intimidating form, creating a striking contrast.

And as if to add to this peculiarity, he had three large cigars stuck in his mouth.

“Power.”

“Justice” stood beside him.

She was a fairy-like girl with short golden hair, not particularly tall, her facial features delicate and her skin as fair as milk. Dressed in a white suit with a skirt, her eyes radiated innocent energy, a pineapple bun perched in her mouth.

“Justice” and “Power” were once killed by the overwhelming force of the Chosen for Eternity. But through the “Ancient Covenant,” they were resurrected at the cost of the kings. These powerful beings, now part of the Imperial Guards, served the kings not just for wealth or status but also for immortality and eternal life granted by the “Covenant.”

She blinked, curiously scanning the crowd at Babel Tower, the bun still in her mouth.

“Oh no! The mighty blade (people) of the Babel Tower cries!”

Behind “Justice,” an old, frail man appeared. His long black robe and squinting eyes gave him an air of mystery. The smile on his face was cryptic, much like that of the elusive Imperial Guards’ “Recluse.”

“Indeed, these are the people of Babel Tower,” he said with a cheerful smile, as though he had expected this meeting all along.

Ms. Shi Nianyu, a member of the Imperial Guards, stood still. Dressed in a black evening gown, her beauty rivaled that of Mu Ling and the Scarlet Moon. According to Babel Tower’s evaluation, she was undoubtedly a perfect ten.

Upon seeing the Babel Tower group, Shi Nianyu nodded to Maryse, whom she had met at the banquet.

Maryse stuck out her tongue, embarrassed about keeping her Babel Tower membership a secret. But now, there was no need to hide it anymore.

Finally, Mr. “World” stepped out of the elevator.

Sword-like eyebrows, deep and piercing eyes. He was dressed in black, calmly making his way through the crowd and irritably stating, “White Lion, with your size, you should avoid using elevators in the future.”

The Imperial Guards of the king were few in number—only about a dozen—and it was rare for five of them to appear at once.

White Lion chuckled. “Finally, I’ve found an elevator that can fit me. I had to try it! I couldn’t get into any others before; I always had to walk several floors, even though it wasn’t tiring, it was annoying. How could I pass up this opportunity? This world just isn’t friendly to large beings… sigh.”

“Nice to meet you. I am the profligate of Babel Tower.”

Bai Yan smiled as he approached, looking every bit the leader of Babel Tower’s group.

“I’ve heard about you,” Mr. “World” nodded, his gaze calm as he locked eyes with Bai Yan.

His presence exuded an awe-inspiring aura, one so powerful that ordinary people instinctively knelt before him. But Bai Yan wasn’t fazed in the slightest.

“I’ll go back inside first.”

The Scarlet Moon, uninterested in the Imperial Guards, shook her head and walked past them into the elevator.

As the Queen of the Scarlet Moon passed her, Miss Justice quickly finished eating her bread, a surprised expression on her face. Her pointed ears perked up.

“He is a vampire!”

No one paid her any attention. Everyone was focused on the negotiation between the leaders of both sides.

“I hope this collaboration will be pleasant and that we can prevent the arrival of that individual,” Babel Tower said calmly. “In fact, our purpose at Babel Tower has always been the same—to save the World. We should never be enemies, neither us nor you.”

“I canceled the warrant for your arrest because I believe in this,” Mr. “World” responded.

“Recently, many believers of ‘It’ have gathered in Chord City. From our observations, they seem to be preparing something… Once everything is set, ‘It’ will truly descend.”

They were speaking of no one other than the Steel Throne, one of the “Rainbows.”

“The biggest problem is we still don’t know the details of the arrival ceremony, so we can’t figure out how to interrupt it.”

Bai Yan smiled gently, “Luckily, I know.”

“Oh?” Mr. “World” glanced at him, curiosity in his eyes.

Bai Yan continued, “A meme—Blank Fire. It’s a flame that burns in people’s dreams, capturing their gaze. Recently, more and more people have been dreaming of it, and the phenomenon is spreading… Once enough people dream of Blank Fire, that being will descend.”

In the World of Noah, outside Babel Tower, Bai Yan and the others avoided directly mentioning the “Steel Throne.”

The names of gods held special meanings. If uttered by the wrong person, they could lead to great trouble.

Shi Nianyu furrowed her brows. “Blank Fire… what is that?”

Bai Yan shook his head. “I’m not entirely sure myself. But this is what the Savior said. We need to stop the spread of Blank Fire… These great beings never seem to explain things clearly.”

In truth, the information provided by Babel Tower was sparse. No one truly understood what Blank Fire was.

They only knew it was a peculiar meme, spread through dreams, accumulating until a certain threshold is reached, at which point the corrupted Steel Throne would descend.

“That’s enough,” Mr. “World” said calmly. “As long as you know the ‘name,’ that is enough to glimpse the truth.”

He reached into the void and pulled out a translucent scroll, hazy and shifting like something intangible.

Bai Yan stared, realizing this was some sort of innate power.

“The Picture of Time, reveal the truth to me.”

Mr. “World” wrote the words “Blank Fire” on the scroll.

Instantly, his face began aging rapidly, his features unrecognizable within moments.

“Pay close attention…” His voice turned hoarse.

A fiery flame appeared on the scroll. It burned on the blank canvas, its border black while the flame itself was a nearly pure white.

The flame burned.

It was as though it would scorch civilization itself, reaching the edges of the universe.

When the others gazed upon it, they felt a strange sensation.

Visions of history—steel forging, magic discoveries, trains whistling, breakthroughs—flashed through their minds.

These scattered powers were shaping the world, pushing forward civilization, leading to the Noah world as it stood today.

Progress.

That was the meaning of Blank Fire.

It was the concept symbolized by the Steel Throne.

Except for Bai Yan, everyone stared, mesmerized by the flame, knowing deep within that this flame represented the most important force in the world!

The power of progress had made civilizations thrive and strengthened the powerful. Everyone pursued it, seeking it desperately—even at the cost of their lives.

Now, it was right before them.

“Stop!”

At that moment, the scroll vanished, and the eerie atmosphere lifted.

The gentleman, who had aged, quickly rejuvenated, returning to his youthful state as though nothing had happened.

Bai Yan watched, silently noting that the Imperial Guards weren’t surprised by Mr. World’s power. It seemed this kind of ability was something he wielded often.

During the first playthrough, Bai Yan had fought against Mr. World, who occasionally served as a boss. He knew that this was an innate power, terrifying in its strength.

“All things are ready.”

Everything was connected to Mr. World.

Theoretically, he could unleash all of his extraordinary powers.

His power was similar to the witch’s “Overflowing in the World, Recording Everything.” While she could only project powers she had seen once, Mr. World could harness all innate powers, even those he hadn’t directly experienced.

There was no limit to the number of times he could use these powers after reaching the Apocalypse, though their effectiveness would be one level lower than his own.

This power was fearsome. If he fought against an Apocalypse “World,” he would be fighting the entire middle-ranked Apocalypse on his own.

A terrifying ability, Bai Yan thought.

“Actually, that being is a very positive deity… Do we really have to be enemies with Him?” Justice asked, her pointy ears drooping.

She had been raised to see the Rainbows as sacred beings, so this newfound enemy unsettled her.

“High Tower” Shi Nianyu shook her head. “Among the prisoners I’ve detained, some appear kind-hearted but have committed heinous acts. Appearances can be deceiving.”

“Oh… okay.”

Justice’s ears drooped further.

Maryse looked at the high elf before her and felt a fondness.

“She may be a bit taller than me, but she’s flat-chested like me. And she’s not as pretty as me… but she must be a nice person!”

She giggled.

Bai Yan smiled. “Progress, indeed, is important. Almost everyone in Noah’s world is pursuing it… But sometimes, incorrect progress can lead to destruction.”

Mr. World nodded in agreement.

“It’s crucial to determine the direction of ‘progress.’ Sometimes, that’s more important than the progress itself.”

Later that evening, the two groups decided to dine together.

The Kai Xuan Garden, a special dining location, was adorned with rare plants and filled with cute little animals.

Babel Tower’s members and the Imperial Guards gathered in the garden, enjoying a barbecue buffet.

Everyone seemed at ease, even familiar with one another. The five girls stood together, chatting and laughing, though the Scarlet Moon remained silent.

“Power,” “Recluse,” and Alan were grilling meat, smiling and conversing.

As Maryse had guessed, it felt more like a social gathering than a negotiation.

Just then, Mr. “World” entered the garden with a grim expression, floating down the stairs.

Bai Yan followed, cheerfully smiling.

The champion of the Air Alliance hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back.

“Your chess moves are pretty good,” Mr. World nodded.

Bai Yan smiled. “I’m okay. Chess is just another game, right?”

“Why did you take so long?” Shi Nianyu approached Mr. World.

Every time they got closer, a strange atmosphere arose, making Bai Yan and others feel like outsiders.

“Just playing chess,” Mr. World replied.

But he hadn’t won a single game.

His skills were excellent, but Bai Yan always beat him effortlessly. The middle game always marked his defeat.

It was a crushing blow.

Shi Nianyu smiled. “Well then, I won’t say much. This is your only hobby, right? I’ll go bring some grilled meat for Kessel. You should have a bite too. Later, I’ll play chess with you! Is that okay?”

“Yes, it’s my only hobby,” Mr. World said, his expression empty. “But recently, I’ve lost interest.”

“Up to you then!” Shi Nianyu shook her head.

With that, she vanished into thin air.

Kessel?

Both Alan and Bai Yan noticed the name.

Kessel, the “emperor,” had been imprisoned in the tower due to past events. They didn’t know when he would be released.

Bai Yan thought deeply. Shi Nianyu had a special power related to space.

A tricky character to deal with.

He sighed, silently hoping that the day would never come when the Imperial Guards fought.