Star Forge Titan

"Yes, the Empire inherited part of the Giant Civilization's legacy and eventually developed the prototype of the Path of Transcendence. At least before the Twin Star Path was severed, that path of advancement was still in its infancy. The Empire, whose civilizational evolution was interrupted by the Sunshattering War, was more inclined towards magical engineering technology and ultimately failed to advance this path to the theoretically perfect fifth stage."

Gazing at the powerful, youthful being before him, and especially at the nearly invisible magical fluctuations surrounding him, Beta felt a complex mix of emotions. He felt both the joy of a scholar witnessing the validation of his pioneering theories and the inevitable nervousness of facing a powerful being.

Fortunately, the other party's gentle attitude from beginning to end allowed him to remain calm and the conversation to proceed smoothly.

"The Binary Star Road is the passage connecting the two worlds through the Gate of God - Babelon?"

"That's right. That's the technological legacy left behind by the 'Passerby'. Both the giant civilization of the past and the empire that came later could only use but not understand this magical creation." Beta sighed.

"If it weren't for this, we wouldn't have severed ties with the Old World of Palladia hundreds of years ago, forced to take root and rebuild in a foreign land. I imagine that losing the New World would have caused considerable chaos for the Imperial forces remaining in Palladia, right? After all, the Empire's strongest men and elite troops at the time were stationed in the New World."

"Well, civil unrest did break out in the ancient empire back then. Wait, why did the strongest men and elite troops run to the new land?" Alvin first confirmed Beta's guess, but soon he was surprised by what the other party mentioned.

"Various reasons." Beta shook his head.

"The main reason is that the magical environment in the New World is far more stable than in Palladia, which is quite beneficial to the development of the magical industry. Therefore, the entire center of gravity of the empire quickly shifted here a hundred years ago. Even the original capital gradually became more of a memorial than a practical significance."

"In other words, hundreds of years ago, almost the entire empire moved to the New World?" Alvin scratched his ears to confirm that he had heard correctly.

"Yes, that is a very long plan." Even though Beta had not experienced that history personally, his expression at this moment was still full of emotion.

"As for why the empire's most powerful warrior at the time also came to the New World, it was because of another reason."

"Oh?" Alvin looked interested.

"This involves the ultimate secret treasure left behind by the 'Passerby.'" Beta looked seriously at the Gate of God - Babelon, which was far away on the horizon.

"Fantasy Wind!"

Chapter 208: The Declined Winner

Beta quickly recounted a long-forgotten history, his words filled with sighs and feelings that were inconsistent with his age.

Perhaps for him, it was not just history recorded in writing, but a past that he had personally experienced.

On another level, the inert nature of the new world's ambient magic also meant greater stability, and even the magical reactions generated by spells became smoother. As a result, magical engineering, the Empire's mainstream technology, flourished rapidly.

In addition, the Empire also discovered an unprecedented ancient ruin in the New World, which is what the Amori people now call the Gate of God - Babylon.

Although the floating city covering an astonishing area showed signs of involvement from the giant civilization, its core part undoubtedly came from the "passers-by", that is, the Titans who had come to Palladio and transformed the entire planet.

For unknown reasons, the living environment in Babylon, the Gate of Gods, is incredibly amenable. From the most basic food to the most advanced technology, everything can be obtained in bulk from the ruins. After satisfying their basic needs, anyone can freely pursue their life's goals. It's a paradise straight out of myth and legend.

Eventually, large-scale migrations began to occur throughout the Old World, even as the Empire itself gradually shifted to the New World.

But what the extraordinary people who set out on the path of transcendence cannot ignore is a device that has been running continuously for who knows how many years in the deepest part of the ruins.

"Is that the Wind of Fantasy?" Alvin whispered the name he had just heard.

"Yeah." Beta nodded, but his expression did not show much joy, but seemed particularly heavy.

"The wind of fantasy has gathered magical power beyond imagination, which has caused the magic power of the entire world's environment to become inert."

"Furthermore, the Empire's researchers at the time discovered that the sun hanging in the New World's sky had been transformed by a traveler using incredible technology. This celestial body, emitting immense amounts of energy at every moment, transmitted countless energies to the device within the Divine Gate. Compared to the magic power flowing within the planetary environment, this was the true primary energy source driving the device."

"Until the outbreak of the Sunshattering War, the Empire still hadn't figured out the device's purpose. We couldn't even get close enough to study it. The only ones who benefited were the transcendents, those more sensitive to magic. The immense magical power gathered by the Wind of Illusion could affect the entire planet, not to mention the nearby God's Gate, Babelon."

"The natural fluctuations caused by the gathering of magical energy alone have caused the humans living within the Gate of Gods - Babelon to become almost two different species from those elsewhere."

"The inhabitants of Babylon possess innate qualities that surpass any other race, both in terms of physical fitness and their ability to carry and control magical power. This made the empire increasingly arrogant, and even gradually moved towards madness. The emperor and many nobles at the time even believed that they could surpass the gods and master the boundless power that once belonged to the 'passers-by'." Looking up at the starry night sky, even after so many years, Beta subconsciously clenched his hands when he mentioned this past.

"Arrogant...?" Alvin shook his head. He had already guessed what would happen next.

"By referring to the various documents left behind by the giant civilization and the precious relics related to the 'passerby', the Empire has confirmed the true identity of the passerby. He is the Titan, the giant god in myth and legend who stirred the sea of ​​fire and reshaped the planet!"

"After that, there was the Giant God Project." Uncle Beta slowed down his voice, as if the mention of this term made him feel pressured.

"Using the relics of the 'Passenger', the Empire attempted to restore the power of the Titan using magical engineering technology. Consequently, multiple research institutes launched projects from different angles, ultimately creating twelve devices that combined cutting-edge magical engineering technology of the time."

"The Great Beast God." Alvin immediately guessed what the final product of the Giant God plan would be.

"Oh, the god of animals? The artificial stone statues made by humans imitating the shadow of gods are perhaps just like the crude clay balls made by monkeys imitating humans. The latter only makes the former laugh. In a sense, this name is really perfect." Beta smiled, and that smile was particularly pale and weak.

"Was the Sun-Breaking War an accident?" The truth of the matter made Alvin stunned.

"No, this tragedy was destined to happen the moment the emperor and the nobles decided to inject their souls into the body of the artificial giant god to gain eternal power."

"It now appears that the power of the 'Passenger' has surpassed the limits of what mortals can control. The subsequent collective rampage of the Beast Gods was inevitable."

“…” The huge amount of information made Alvin fall silent.

"I can see that, uncle, you are very opposed to our exploration of the ruins of the Gate of God." Alvin turned to talk about more realistic things, which made Beta a little unable to react for a while, but he quickly affirmed what he said.

"Well, the ruins of 'God's Gate - Babylon' are really not a good place for touring and adventure. Even though it was once the ancient paradise of the Amor people, it is now a dangerous place full of runaway puppets and deadly mechanisms." After a pause, Beta looked at Ivan with extreme seriousness.

"If nothing else, the sole victor of the Sunshattering War... or at least the individual closest to the definition of a victor, is currently wandering around the God's Gate."

"Is there a giant beast god with the ability to move?" Alvin showed an interested expression.

The other party was not surprised but rather extremely interested, even a little excited. This made Beta feel that something seemed to be wrong, but the inertia of the conversation still drove him to continue:

"That magical weapon is called the Sun God Utunia. It absorbs the power of the sun from the sky, giving it nearly unlimited mobility. Although it was severely damaged during the Sunshattering War, it was later pieced together again through its self-repair function. There are even rumors that a huge and terrifying figure roams near the Gate of God."

"Considering that more than 80 years have passed since the war ended, I'm not sure what that thing will look like."

Thinking of a possibility, Ivan immediately frowned.

"Speaking of this, I feel there is something I have to mention."

"Oh? What is it?"

"Someone is collecting the remains of the Great Beast God." Alvin stared into Beta's eyes, and then saw shock, confusion and fear in them.

With his perception of having entered the realm of perfection, it would be difficult for ordinary people to lie to him. Therefore, Uncle Beta's behavior did suggest a possibility.

"Impossible, this shouldn't be possible. All the information related to the Great Beast God has been destroyed. How could there still be someone..." Beta paced back and forth anxiously, but suddenly froze in place.

"You seem to have thought of something?" Alvin asked in a low voice, but his words did not receive an answer for a long time.

Beta stood there with a complicated expression. After a long while, he raised his hands tremblingly to cover his cheeks, and said softly in a voice that was almost inaudible to others:

"It shouldn't be like this... I clearly..." Beta slowly took off his glasses. He always looked like a good guy, but now his eyes behind the lenses were as sharp as an eagle.

"Those who are already dead should rest peacefully in the ground."

"elder brother!"

Chapter 209: Not Too Different

Despite his suspicions, Ivan still wanted to know Uncle Beta's true identity. Given his warm hospitality, it would be somewhat rude to do so.

However, the other party blew himself up in front of him, and the information revealed was so shocking that even a professional spectator like him was a little stunned.

Judging from the "remnants" of civilization that have been seen so far, the ancient empire's technological accumulation in magical engineering has surpassed that of the Second Giant Kingdom, whose civilization inheritance was interrupted, and is even not inferior to the First Kingdom originally established by the giants.

Considering their widespread belief in the ancient gods of wisdom, it's hard to deny the influence of the Eye of Prophecy, Ishtarri. Ivan felt mixed emotions toward this genetic ancestor. While gratitude was certainly there, there were also many doubts about their grand scheme, spanning millennia.

Fortunately, at least the two sides can reach a consensus on resisting the invasion of pure-colored super beasts, which ensures the minimum basis for cooperation.

First, obtain the last flawless gem. Once the Great Mystery of the Origin is completed and the King Soul of Uranus is fully awakened, we will likely uncover their full plan. The arrival of the pure-colored horde a century from now will render all possible conspiracies meaningless. If we cannot obtain a sufficiently powerful protective power in the meantime, then nothing else matters.

Ivan quickly sorted out his thoughts, but Uncle Beta was still lost in his memories.

However, the chief was a mature and reliable middle-aged man after all, so he was not affected by past emotions for too long. After a little adjustment, he recovered and focused on the current problem again.

"I can roughly guess who the traitor is. But the changes you mentioned suggest something far more terrifying." Taking a deep breath, Beta raised his hand and pointed at the intricate overpass in the distance. It was a massive mass of construction waste created by the repetitive construction processes of the out-of-control automated magical puppets over the past few decades.

"Friends from the Old World, do you know what the greatest crisis facing the New World is?"

"I'd like to hear more details." Alvin asked directly.

"Compared to the military magic puppets with amazing lethality, it is the engineering puppets that always keep working that will bring greater crisis." Beta said something unexpected.

"Due to the release of a certain superweapon, their internal thinking gears have been locked. Simply put, they cannot be controlled from the outside. They will only repeat the final instructions they received before the destruction of civilization for years, most of which are a repetition of previous work plans."

"So, the engineering puppets began to execute the relevant instructions repeatedly, constantly creating more buildings, even piling buildings on top of each other. This led to the reduction of vegetation and the rise of temperatures, ultimately causing irreversible damage to the entire world's ecology, leaving only a gray graveyard of construction waste."

“…” Alvin scratched his head, looking as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

"Listen to me first." Beta raised his hand to signal the other party to keep quiet.

"I discussed this issue with someone and came up with two solutions."

"First, we must pass on knowledge and redevelop civilization. Once we have accumulated enough knowledge, we can gradually eliminate the out-of-control automated puppets in various locations and repair the damaged environment."

"Second, we must gather the top magical weapons left over from the Imperial era. We must fight the Second Sunshattering War against the shattered Sun God Utunia to recapture the 'God's Gate - Babelon' and rebuild the Empire's most glorious Golden Age."

"The second plan sounds a bit too radical." The former is fine, but after hearing the latter plan, even Ivan couldn't help but complain:

"Yes, a fully formed Sun God Utunia possesses the terrifying power to scorch the earth and evaporate lakes. Given the current level of civilization in the Broken Sun Wasteland, even with the magical weapons left over from the Imperial era, it would be impossible to defeat it."

"Besides, who knows what that already broken machine will do if provoked? What if it launches an indiscriminate attack on all nearby moving targets?"

"It's best not to touch things that have already entered a stable state." Beta shook his head and continued:

"So I personally prefer the first option. Although it is unlikely that I will see the plan completed in my lifetime, success does not have to be mine. As long as civilization can continue, the world may not be able to return to its former beautiful state." The middle-aged uncle's tone was very calm at this moment, but with a sense of unwavering determination.

"No wonder the Sumuabum tribe places so much emphasis on the collection and inheritance of knowledge," Ivan said with sudden enlightenment.

"Ha, I did do some small things within my ability." Beta couldn't help but smile, obviously quite proud of it.

"But this kind of vision doesn't seem to be something a wastelander born after the war can possess." Alvin expressed his doubts very naturally.

"My friend from the old world, you have guessed it as expected." Beta did not give a direct answer, but his words indirectly confirmed Ivan's previous guess.

"At this point, there's nothing to hide anymore. I'm a remnant from a bygone era. Even if I managed to escape the aftermath of the Sunshattering War with the help of cryogenic sealing magic, I'm not qualified to take a seat in the new era. After all, this wasteland was created by our generation." Beta sighed heavily, then changed the subject.

"However, Kalimue convinced me. Staying alive and repairing the damaged earth is also a way to atone for my sins."

Was it persuasion? Judging from the lady's figure, it might be physical persuasion.

Ivan was secretly complaining in his heart, but on the surface he still acted like a good listener.

"In short, the threat we face right now is likely from a bygone era, just like me. Only those who survived from that era could possibly possess advanced enough knowledge to repair the Great Beast God."

"As far as I know, there are not many people like that. The only one who can be confirmed is that he died...ten years ago." Beta's voice became particularly low.

"But a dead man can't plot a new conspiracy." Alvin asked in a low voice, looking at Uncle Beta with a serious expression.

"Yeah, except he's not dead, at least not as completely dead as I originally thought."

"Actually, things are not complicated. The other party's target is very clear, which is the remains left by the former Great Beast God." Alvin rubbed his chin, as if he thought of something interesting, so that his expression began to become eager to try.

"If we want to stop him, can we choose to destroy the remains of the Great Beast God in advance?"

"Young friend, you think too simply. That is a cutting-edge magical weapon manufactured during the heyday of the empire. The material alone is extremely strong and cannot be easily destroyed by a few soldiers with individual weapons." Beta suddenly paused.

"However, judging from your expressions, the Old World seems to be focusing on 'transcendence' as its primary technological development direction. What stage have you reached? Theoretically, a fourth-stage Transcendent could indeed pose a threat to the Great Beast God."

"Wait, haven't you already developed a fifth-stage transcendent who has entered the realm of perfection? Haha, even the theoretical basis for that isn't perfect..."

The smile on Beta's face slowly disappeared because he saw Ivan looking at him very seriously.

"Aren't you kidding?"

"Yeah." Alvin nodded.

"You haven't reached this stage yet, have you?" Beta asked with some stammering:

"Not yet."

"...What a pity." Beta did feel regretful at this moment. The other party's attitude was always very friendly. If he was really that kind of strong man, perhaps the entire Broken Sun Wasteland would usher in new changes, and in a good direction.

But then he heard an unexpected answer.

"But it's not much different."

"ah!?!"

Chapter 210 Past Stories

Just as Alvin was having a great chat with an old popsicle (probably), Frey, who stayed in the chief's tent, was also having a happy chat with Kalimue.

As the moon moved across the sky and the night deepened, the children adopted by the Betas, led by Marianne, went to bed obediently. Instead, the three women gathered around the campfire, drinking beer and chatting.

"So, it was Lady Kalimue who confessed first?" Afrediya widened her eyes with extreme curiosity. Diana, who had been silent beside her, stopped dismantling the magic device and quietly pricked up her ears.

"Hey, once that entangled guy takes the initiative, I'm afraid the Shattered Sun will be restored to its original state." The sturdy chief's wife snorted unhappily, and then couldn't help but raise the corners of her mouth.

"Anyway, after that, I'll stop being a chief and become his wife."

"Although Beta is a good guy, he manages the entire tribe well, ensuring that more tribesmen have enough food to eat and that they can get treatment when they are sick."