Me! Cleaner!.

Chapter 1144 Facing death with equanimity...but also somewhat homeless.
I see……

After hearing the method for extracting the essence of the source, Leon pondered for a moment before asking:

"So, the one who destroyed Number 1 of the Abyss Realm was no longer itself? Instead, after 'devouring' the race it was born from, it became something like a 'collective will'?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

"..."

"I already told you, my memories have been tampered with by the Myriad Things Celestial Cicada. Who knows if these memories are real or fake?"

"..."

So you rambled on for so long, and then tell me I can't believe everything? Any fabrication or coincidence is purely coincidental?

"Alright, I've told you everything I needed to tell you. It's time for me to go!"

With a somewhat speechless expression on Lyon's face, the mermaid beauty asked with a smile:

"I'm preparing to return to the Source God Platform to devote myself to the origin and bring about the unification of the two realms. Do you want to see me off?"

Is she leaving?
Lyon paused slightly upon hearing this, then subconsciously clenched his fist.

"Evangeline."

Looking at the mermaid beauty before him, whose smile remained radiant, Leon tentatively suggested:
"The combined power of myself, the Third Generation Lord, and the Origin Color you control should be enough to revive most of your clansmen. Would you like to wait for them first...?"

"I'm not waiting anymore~"

After waving away the passage leading to the Source God Platform, the mermaid beauty turned and stepped into the passage, waving at Leon without looking back:

"I already feel reluctant to leave as things are now. If I see them again, I'm afraid I really won't want to go."

"So you absolutely have to dedicate yourself to the roots?"

Lyon couldn't help but speak up to dissuade him:

"Your dedication to the Root is simply to revive more of your people and then enhance the upper limit between the Roots No. 3, so that when the present world is attacked by Root No. 1 in the future, you will be unable to resist it and repeat the mistakes of the Abyss Realm."

But in reality, there are other ways to achieve both of these goals. I can use the rules of the Dead Realm to slowly revive your people in batches, and if you stay, we can join forces to deal with Number 1..."

"Different."

After stepping onto the purplish-black primordial mud tablet, the mermaid beauty shook her head calmly and said:

"The combined corruption value of any two directors of the Cleanup Bureau is definitely much higher than yours, but even if the two directors join forces against the enemy, they still cannot defeat you."

And in the future, it will be the same between you and Number One. In terms of the fundamental 'quality,' you are no longer his match. If you cannot gain the upper hand in 'quantity,' then the present world will become the next Abyss Realm.

"It hasn't reached that point yet."

After glancing at the series of world resolutions behind the [Materialism] badge, Leon ultimately couldn't bear to let Evangeline "go to her death" like that. After hesitating for a moment, he spoke:

“My situation is rather special. In the future, I might be able to piece the shattered world back together. At that time, the root of the world will be even larger than it is now. It is possible that we will be able to contend with Number One without you sacrificing yourself.”

"?"

After glancing at Leon with some surprise, the mermaid beauty blinked and then sighed softly.

"You're so reluctant to part with me... It seems you're still captivated by me. My beauty is truly a great sin."

"?!!!"

"Alright, stop trying to persuade me!"

After stealing a moment from her busy schedule to work on an abstract concept, the mermaid beauty, amidst Leon's slightly annoyed expression, waved her hand with a smile and said, "The real me has been dead for who knows how long. I'm just returning to where I belong. As for the future, you might be able to reassemble the present world... Who can predict the future?"

After bending down to inspect the condition of the primordial clay tablets, the mermaid beauty said with a serious expression:

"Leon, you may be able to keep your word in the future, but the Primal Plate will continuously absorb the overflowing Root below to repair itself. If you don't hurry down now, I may not have another chance to devote myself to the Root."

The ranking of the origins can basically be seen as a ranking of strength. Number 1 is much stronger than you think. Even if you can reassemble the shattered present world, we may not be his match.

To preserve the world of our people, and to prevent the present world from repeating the mistakes of the Abyss Realm, the Abyss Realm and the present world must be united. On this point, I have no choice, and neither do you. I must do what I must do.

"..."

Okay... I respect your decision and your courage.

Seeing the mermaid woman's unwavering determination, Leon closed his eyes and didn't try to persuade her any further. Instead, he followed her into the Source God Platform and silently watched as she broke through the last layer of primordial mud plate and leaped down into the radiant source below...

Then with a thud, it was thrown back up.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

No... this isn't right, is it?!

Lying supine on the purplish-black primordial clay tablet, her head hitting the ground and seeing stars, the mermaid beauty stared blankly at Leon, then murmured in confusion:
"I...I just now..."

"You just bumped into..."

"Wait! Don't speak yet!"

After waving away Lyon's reply, the mermaid woman, her forehead red from the impact, staggered to her feet and, defiantly, leaped down again... Then, as if struck by incredible luck, she flew back up with a thud, waving her arms and legs.

After slamming onto the primordial clay tablet again with a thud, the mermaid beauty, who had bumped her head, lay on her back, completely bewildered. She stared at Leon, equally bewildered, for a long while before finally sitting up unsteadily, saying with an incredulous expression:

"Your Root Source No. 3... still hasn't opened?"

"?"

Lyon was taken aback by this, then asked in confusion:

"No way? If it wasn't opened, how did the Third Hokage and I get down there?"

"No... I don't mean 'open' in that sense. I mean 'activate' or 'awaken' more accurately."

After briefly explaining the meaning of "open," the mermaid woman covered her forehead, looking completely bewildered, and said:
"Most of the time, the Roots are in a state of untouchable silence. You can only enter the Roots, but you cannot directly reach the Roots themselves. Only when we, the descendants of the Roots, break through the corresponding primordial mud tablets for the first time will the corresponding Roots be fully awakened."

For example, the reason why Number 1 did not attack you before, but instead allowed your human ancestors to leave the Old Land, was because you had not yet appeared at that time, and the Root of Number 3 had not yet opened. Even if he killed all humans, he could not seize the Root.

But now that you've already appeared, the Root of 3 must have been opened, so why can't you get in?

"..."

Faced with the mermaid beauty's puzzled expression, Leon, who had forgotten he was a counterfeit, remained silent for a moment before quietly turning his head away.

"Yes, why is that? That's so strange."

(End of this chapter)