Wasteland Echoer.

Chapter 705 "Airborne Worms" (Part 2)
"Era 6: As the beginning of everything, the Creator did not endow 'Time Era' with any meaning related to reincarnation. Gods and dragons will always fall into reincarnation, enduring suffering within it, and exploring the mysteries and truths of the universe amidst that suffering. However, once a 'Time Era' has passed, it will cease to exist. Flames will eventually melt, ice rivers will eventually thaw, nascent lava will turn into grains of sand, the vast universe will eventually fall silent, stars will fall into darkness, and the universe will eventually disappear. Perhaps, a race surpassing human wisdom and divine power can obtain the truths of the universe before the great Creator awakens, but the arrogance brought by power will ultimately become a small boat to reach the other shore." — *Dragon's Words*

“'Blood Wolf,' it seems... it seems you want to go your own way?” Hoshino Shota struggled to get up, leaning against the iron wall covered with damp, sticky engine oil and dried blood, barely managing to steady himself.

Immediately afterwards, he took out a bandage from the makeshift first-aid kit at his waist and wrapped it around his abdomen right in front of "Blood Wolf" to stop the bleeding.

"Blood Wolf" knew that in the genetic code that Ivan XXII set for the Lost and the "Heartless," there was a hidden, irreparable weakness: those infected with the "Heartless Virus," while possessing a self-repairing ability unmatched by any other living being, would partially lose their activity if injured by the "Silver Object." The inactive "virus" would then turn into a pile of "ruins" gathered around the wound, temporarily preventing any force from repairing it.

Therefore, in the eyes of "Blood Wolf", Hoshino Shota is currently a "trash" who has lost most of his combat abilities. Even the weakest human in Nebusk City could easily subdue him.

"The Khitan Riz people once said: an arrow fired can only charge forward, and no force can make it return the way it came. I am determined to obtain the 'Creator's Mechanical Heart,' and the city of Nebusk... will also 'revive' and become a 'global machine' serving the war." "Blood Wolf" began to make no attempt to conceal his purpose. He stared intently at Hoshino Shota with his eyes, which had already turned crimson, and greedy saliva, secreted by a beast facing its prey, unconsciously dripped from the corner of his mouth.

To further demonstrate his power and pride, he tossed aside the pistol that had just wounded Hoshino Shota, and instead held the several golden bone blades stained with dirty blood between his hands against Hoshino Shota's fair and alluring neck, speaking in a rough voice that was almost inhuman:
"To achieve coexistence between humanity and the lost, we must demonstrate the value of the lost. History has proven enough the incompetence of the Crusaders, whether it be Alexander, David, the Vikings, Vasily, or later Shaneva and Atlanka. Greed and desire always take over their hearts the moment they seize power, without exception."

“I… will, cough cough, will use the ‘Creator’s Mechanical Heart’ to acquire His ability to control the reality and destiny of the universe, first control Nabusk, then use the ‘All-Domain Machine’ to control the area east of Novayask, and then take full control of all Crusd, becoming the leader of the new ‘Crusd Lost Peace Federation’. Finally, I will liberate the remaining humans and lost souls trapped in the ‘New Era Crisis’ countries.”

"You want to be a savior? I think you're not qualified." Hoshino Shota glared at "Blood Wolf," a mocking smile playing on his lips, and said in a sharp tone:
“If fate has not given you the mission of salvation, then you will not receive any divine assistance. Future history will only record you as a ‘powerful and ambitious man,’ not as a savior. And we both know in our hearts that the current temporary peace and the advantage in the eastern region are only built on the special circumstances of Vasily and Shaneva’s deaths and the absolute power vacuum in the Crusad Federation.”

"Even if you control the entire region east of Novayask, and even if the old Vasilys of Kuka choose to support you as their leader, you will not be able to eliminate the tens of millions of 'heartless people' entrenched in the western part of the Federation within your limited lifespan, relying on the resources of the city of Nebusk and the Nebusk Plain. As far as I know, 'Blood Wolf,' your heart must have reached its limit by now."

"What do you want to say?" "Blood Wolf" suddenly retracted the golden bone blade and kicked Hoshino Shota's wound, knocking him to the ground.

Then, he stomped hard on Hoshino Shota's head, pinning him to the ground and temporarily preventing him from standing up.

Even so, Hoshino Shota forcibly suppressed the surging feeling in his blood and struggled to say:

“A weary…broken heart cannot merge with the ‘Creator’s Mechanical Heart’…it can only replace your original heart, it cannot become your…new heart. Even if…the Creator grants you the ability to temporarily change reality and…fate, you are merely His puppet.”

"Bullshit, you cunning Icefield Fox! Who doesn't know that the Creator's blessing is the most powerful force in the world, and who doesn't know that conceptual skills are invincible? You're only after your 'Dark Night Investigation Team's' insignificant interests, yet you dare to try and overturn the sun's brilliance with the light of a candle." "Blood Wolf" stomped on Hoshino Shota's head a few more times, becoming increasingly frenzied.
"I am the sun. I will become the sun for the Crusaders and the lost. My radiance will shine upon all living things. Glaciers will melt into clean water because of me, and everything will flourish because of my one and only sun. You 'Dark Night Investigation Team' will eventually hide in the filthy sewers and gloomy mountains under the sun's rays, becoming despicable rats and beasts." Just as "Blood Wolf" was clutching his aching heart with one hand and raising the other hand in a gesture of "praising the sun," while looking up at the future, Hoshino Shota quietly got up and walked to Wright's side, who had fallen into a brief slumber.

Just as "Blood Wolf" was gathering his strength, taking a deep breath and wanting to continue proclaiming his greatness as "the sun," Hoshino Shota's clear voice interrupted him:

"Then, 'Blood Wolf,' explain the 'Airborne Worms.' How did they come to be the guardians of this place? And why did you insist on bringing Wright Socrates to such a dangerous place?"

“Since you already know part of the truth, there’s no point in hiding it from you. Yes, the ‘aerial worm’ detailed in document ’N-SSS-032’ is indeed my creation, even if it’s a document recording anomalous creatures that existed before the ‘New Era Crisis’.” To Hoshino Shota’s surprise, “Blood Wolf” admitted it so easily and simply.
“That’s right, the ‘Airborne Worms’ are my creation. They were once the youngest and most elite ‘warriors’ in the ‘Dedication Group’, who sacrificed themselves for the grand goal of ‘Abandoning Gods’.”

"'Sacrifice'? Don't make the killing sound so nice. As far as I know, they were just children before they disappeared!" Hoshino Shota roared angrily at "Blood Wolf".

However, "Blood Wolf" ignored Hoshino Shota and instead raised his arms high, staggering forward until the group of floating "aerial worms" retreated in fear to the vicinity of the "Statue of the Creator," at which point "Blood Wolf" finally stopped.

“Look, Hoshino Shota, how ‘cute’ they are! The tattered collars, the writhing joints, the exquisite stench of rotting flesh and machine oil, plus the ‘inward-curling flowers’ nourished by ‘blood’—all things the gods dislike.” The “Blood Wolf” said, then suddenly glared fiercely at Hoshino Shota, before turning its head away and, with an almost perverted expression, groaning in a strange, androgynous tone:

“Everything that the gods despise is what the ‘Dedication Group’ wants to praise. Hoshino Shota, you must know that the appearance of the Lost Ones does not reveal our true age. The ones I ‘sacrifice’ are the most elite warriors in the organization, just to open the ‘time tunnel’ to the previous era and stop Ivan XXII before he issues the ‘New Construction Project’ order.”

"Time travel? As far as I know, even during the time of Ivan XXII, Crusad's technology did not reach this level." Hoshino Shota glanced at "Blood Wolf" in disbelief, then looked at the pitiful "air worms" floating in mid-air.

They were, after all, humanoid beings once!

However, the explanation that "Blood Wolf" gave next almost shattered Hoshino Shota's understanding:

"Perhaps, humanity and the lost have perished countless times in different parallel universes, and it is only through a series of coincidences that we have arrived at this era where a glimmer of hope still remains. Twelve years ago, it was because I sacrificed 50 outstanding warriors that I received a brief blessing from the 'Creator,' which granted me the opportunity to use the 'Mechanical Heart,' but I needed to completely shed the human parts of them, that is, 'humanity.'"

"Those who have lost their 'humanity' will transform into 'mutant monsters.' It was only when those outstanding warriors 'voluntarily' sacrificed themselves that I realized that the 'mutant monsters' transformed from those who have lost their 'humanity' are not random, nor do they follow the power they control. Rather, they are pursuing the inner world of us lost ones."