Three years ago.

Inside a blazing black floating city.

"That's enough," Palamedes interrupted the bald starman, "I'm willing to make a deal with you." Of course, with my version. ”

The bald star laughed mockingly.

"Are you sure you make a contract on this condition?" He said, "I can save you; Save your city; Even save your dead wife. But you put your hopes on the ethereal future, just to get a sign for those laypeople to leave this universe? ”

"To save this city, it will be enough to have my legendary spell," said Mr. Palamedes, "and once 'restore and reorganize' is cast, the city will ...... And the inhabitants of this place, all the physical structure will be reduced to the most basic four elements and the ether, and then reborn in the distance. All I had to do was bring the souls of the residents back into their newborn bodies, and they would just sleep. ”

"It'll save everyone, and you'll be able to hide from the eyes and ears of those outside," said the bald man, "but don't think I can't see where you are. With your current state of mental power, cast this spell ......"

"I don't have enough mental strength, but even if my soul is irreversibly damaged," said Mr. Palamedes calmly, "I admit it." On the contrary, I can't call the Dao Signs from other universes to come here, but you can. So, go for it. ”

"You've got it figured," the bald man smirked, "and indeed I can send other universe travelers here." However, he will not know what is going to happen in this universe. According to our previous agreement, you must guarantee the personal freedom of the summoned sign. And you ......"

“…… If I tell that person the truth, the wound in my soul will get out of hand and I will die quickly. No problem," said Mr. Palamedes dryly, "I wanted the man to explore and make his own choices. I hope...... The other party can rely on their own will to save this dying world. ”

"Okay. But out of kindness, I have to remind you: you understand how difficult it is to build a cosmic channel with a single sign. Even if I do summon a signpost, my attempt to establish a cosmic passage might still fail, right? ”

"No problem," Mr. Palamedes did not hesitate, "I am willing to trade with you." ”

"Then as a price, your soul after death will be mine, Palamedes. Let's see if your gamble with your life can save the world. ”

……

Under the influence of King Elrios' vicious magic, all the forces on the clouds besieged the Black Floating City.

At the moment when the Black Floating City was about to fall, Palamedes, the lord of the Black Floating City, made a pact with the bald Plane Traveler.

At its core, a bald plane traveler will teleport a visitor from another universe to this world.

In this way, with the sign, inter-universe teleportation will be possible. But as a price, Palamedes could not tell the man any facts about the end of time; Once he says it, then his life will end quickly.

Mr. Palamedes is well aware that a single signpost cannot create a stable channel.

So, when he felt that the cosmic connection was established and that the traverser was coming, he was already very weak and tried his best to implant his will in that cosmic connection, so that the traverser could be divided into two.

He didn't know what the consequences would be: the bald man was far more powerful than he understood, and if he would be able to interfere with his rituals successfully? If that person is divided, will it become a division between the spirit and the body, or will it be a separation of the positive and negative sides of the personality? Will it interfere with the time dimension and produce an error in the time when they "land"?

Palamedes had no choice. He can only gamble. The bald plane traveler was a cruel and wicked demon. He must have seen his own small movements, but I'm afraid that for him, this "struggle" is also one of the pleasures of watching mortals.

Palamedes won. First, Wei who has lost his memory appears in Okad, and the following year, the girl also descends on the border of Elrios. As if he had seen through everything, the bald man skillfully used words to remove the existence of the Black Lord, a native, from the suspicion of the traverser.

The Lord of the Black suspects that his "small means" will take effect, which is in line with the "original intention" of the bald man. The bald man deliberately let the traverser descend in this intriguing way, because only then can he enjoy a more "wonderful" mortal drama.

But on the other hand, if they don't do anything, the bald person will not be kind enough to give them one more chance.

It's not worth mentioning to the bald man, but this last of Palamedes' magic almost drained his last life force. A part of his soul escaped into the sea of clouds, barely staying "alive", but his mental power would never recover, and every time he used a spell, he would be one step closer to death.

Nicholas, perceiving the weakness of Palamedes, started the war. And for Palamedes......

As long as he succeeds in channeling the separation of the "Eternal Blood" and the "Light World", it will be a victory for him, and for the whole world.

……

Deep Black Dome.

The Black Lord's body has become translucent.

After telling the girl the truth about the "end of time", the injury to his soul had already deteriorated. Coupled with the solo execution of the "Fall of the Sea of Clouds", the life of this middle-aged mage has come to an end.

"Mr. Palamedes......" Dimi looked gloomy.

"Do it," said Palamedes, his expression calm, still as calm as a mountain and as the wind when the girl first saw him, "with your sharp cone, annihilate my soul." In this way, my soul may be spared from falling into the hands of the bald man. ”

"This spike is also the power of the bald man," the girl smiled bitterly, "and if you were contracted to him, I don't think it would be useful." ”

"At least it's worth a try," laughed Mr. Palamedes, "I'm going to die anyway." ”

A few seconds of silence.

"You should say goodbye to your loved ones," said Dimi, who remembered his father and adoptive father, "you ......"

"I don't have any relatives." The Black Lord shook his head.

"You and your disciples! Goths are coming," said the maiden eagerly, "will you not say goodbye to them?" At least in the end, you should meet your 'apostles' ......"

"No," said Mr. Palamedes firmly, "it only adds to the sadness. Executing 'Fall of the Sea of Clouds' has exhausted my mental power, and even if I don't divulge information to you, I will die. ”

"We are needed...... Do you convey something? ”

"Transsion's newly-born 'Guardians of the Sea of Clouds', don't rush over and pull the continent up steadily," Mr. Palamedes smiled, "Ordinary spellcasters will be in a hurry. ”

"You ......"

"Tell them that I'm already dead," said Palamedes flatly, "just a remnant of a sea of clouds to live." I used up my strength in the ritual and my soul completely dissipated. ”

The girl looked directly into Palamedes' eyes. The middle-aged mage is serious.

"Okay." She said, taking the last cone from Dimi's hand.

Mr. Palamedes nodded approvingly.

"The world has sacrificed so much, and a lot of it has been caused by me," said Mr. Palamedes, ready to face death with open arms, "and I've been waiting for this day for a long time." ”

"And your name will live on with the wisdom of civilization, Palamedes, guardian of the world."

The girl closed her eyes and waved a sharp cone at the phantom of Palamedes. The sharp cone pierced through the white robes and into the looming body of Mr. Palamedes.

"It's goodbye."

In the final moments of his life, Palamedes raised his head. Look through the transparent top of the Deep Black Dome and look at the sunny sky.

The roar of the earth is in my ears. His "Guardians of the Sea of Clouds" really obeyed the order and continued to rise up the work of the continent.

Engraved the warmth of the sun in his heart for the last time, the greatest mage of the cloud world calmly accepted his end.

……

The large living room was covered with a red carpet and a roaring fire was burning in the fireplace.

Mr. Palamedes reclined on a wooden couch with a hardcover copy of Faust at hand. The balding Plane Traveler stood aside, smiling at him.

"It's a new room again," said Mr. Palamedes, "huh? ”

"When I picked up that Wei Yuanhe, I also chose the same field," the bald man smiled, "It seems that you like it here, too." ”

"Though you are a cunning devil," said Mr. Palamedes, "thank you for sending Goethe and Sartre. At least...... It also gave me a little bit of a world on the other side. ”

The bald man laughed.

"How unwise it is to measure the civilization of a world by literature," he said. ”

"I believe in my heirs and the leaders of civilization," said Palamedes, with a relieved smile, "to make both worlds have a bright future." ”

"Obviously, you're betting on both sides yourself. Even if Nicholas wins, your plan will go ahead as long as he knows the truth about the 'Eternal Blood' and the 'Light World'. ”

"So I'm happy," Mr. Palamedes said, frankly admitting his layout, "and he wasn't the one who won in the end." ”

Ever since Palamedes' soul was "blackened" by Elrios, his pattern of behavior has shifted to "turn out well, everything is good". Even so, it was the "bright" side of his eyes that won the world in the end, which still made him feel gratified.

"Aren't you afraid?"

"I'm afraid," Mr. Palamedes closed his eyes serenely, "there is no god in this silent multiverse who can save me from your grasp. But I'm also relieved......"

The middle-aged mage smiled kindly.

"My wish has been granted."

This room has no windows, but Palamedes hears the wind. Then, he fell asleep.

"There is no god who can save you from my grasp," the bald man said to himself, "but for the sake of showing me a wonderful mortal play......

Traveling across the multiverse, the Bald Man has collected countless precious consciousnesses. Palamedes is interesting, but that's about it.

In the next second, Mr. Palamedes' body disappeared from the couch.

“…… And I will grant thee the rest that thou wilt desire. The bald man said to the empty couch.

Leaving behind the last words, the bald traveler reverts to the chaos of ambush and returns to the center of the multiverse void.