Eldritch Horror Theatre

Excellency Nepheli, your tone reminds me of an old acquaintance.

The apocalypse arrived long ago. What lies before us is nothing but ash blinding our eyes.

Master Yuhun had once made similar nihilistic remarks.

The conversation had suddenly deepened. Seeing that Nepheli also held such strong feelings about the apocalypse actually left Fu Qian rather gratified.

It wasn't hard to guess why Nepheli would feel that way.

She hadn't shown the slightest surprise at the experiences he had just described. If anything, she seemed to feel like she had finally found someone she could talk to.

Sure enough, Nepheli had also witnessed that apocalyptic scene—the very moment when the other "her" had displayed a Miracle to the people of the Academy.

Only, while he treated it as a piece of fallacious history that had failed to become reality, her perspective as someone directly involved was the exact opposite: she believed the reality before their eyes was the fallacy.

"I know you don't really agree with that... because the way you view the world has always been different."

Tapping a finger beneath her eye with a smile, she sounded remarkably understanding.

As for who "you" referred to, the answer couldn't be simpler—

Himself, Ariel, and the other potential Warehouse Managers.

He had to admit, she wasn't wrong.

Setting Rank and identity aside, the very existence of the Warehouse—a place that confounded space and time—naturally meant their worldview would carry subtle differences from the Natives, who were powerless to break free of their reality.

"Lofty, detached, blurring even the boundaries of life and death... I really don't know much about your kind, but I can at least confirm that much."

Fu Qian gave a slight nod. Nepheli seemed to be genuinely empathizing with the administrators' perspective, her tone carrying a touch of modesty.

"But has it ever occurred to you that you aren't the only ones with a transcendent perspective? Is the existence backing you really still that powerful?"

She stared straight at Fu Qian. Her gaze lacked any aggression; she even blinked at him for a moment.

"The night and the Nightmare are both far too long."

...

That sounded just as familiar. It was a line from yet another old acquaintance.

Nepheli's last sentence instantly threw Fu Qian back to his time in the Sacred Night Capital and his enthusiastic exchange with Blazing Rainbow.

Even her demeanor was identical—a look of pity that seemed to say, "You have no idea what you're doing."

Though according to Fu Qian's own reading comprehension, the underlying meaning between the two was slightly different.

Blazing Rainbow had leaned toward the idea that the shadows from a thousand years ago hadn't yet dissipated, whereas Nepheli's statement was somehow even more pessimistic.

She was emphasizing the essence of this apocalyptic ash, claiming that the world before them was no longer real.

"Is this a perspective Rom shared with you? It sounds a little pessimistic. Honestly, based on our previous interactions, his attitude toward life seems quite positive."

Fu Qian was naturally referring to Rom's repeated attempts at possession and parasitism. While ultimately unsuccessful, those actions clearly proved that Rom was proactively trying to recover his strength and seek a new life.

"No."

Sure enough, Nepheli shook her head, indicating she hadn't gleaned this knowledge from that higher entity.

"The Night Watchers also seem highly motivated, doing everything in their power to maintain world peace," Fu Qian noted, offering another positive example.

"Indeed."

Nepheli didn't refute that point.

"Our Academy's teachers and students have also overcome all sorts of hardships, endlessly striving to explore the mysteries of the Transcendent."

"They have indeed done very well..."

Those words seemed to strike a chord. Nepheli looked away, her voice dropping.

"But... did you really think the Academy was the first to do so?"

Before Fu Qian could list another example, her tone shifted sharply into a question.

"No. That Academy team encountered an even earlier pioneer back then."

Fu Qian didn't mind the interruption. He just rubbed his chin and gave a slight nod.

...

It was the very same expedition that had inflicted catastrophic casualties upon the Academy's elites—the one that had ultimately reduced Claudora to a lump of flesh in a jar.

Within the Academy, this was a rather low-level secret.

More importantly, thanks to his previous mission regarding the Holy Infant Calamity Star, Fu Qian had shared a brief exchange with Professor Claudora when she appeared as the final Knight.

In his eyes, she had provided at least three crucial pieces of information.

First, Claudora had been pulled in straight from that very operation; those were her final, fleeting moments.

Second, the Academy's operation had targeted a specific forbidden zone. Inside, they had discovered a similar transcendent research institution—one with no historical records whatsoever.

Third, during their exploration, they had unknowingly been infected by some sort of "crystallization" that masqueraded as a blessing.

While it was uncertain whether that substance had directly caused their total wipeout, it was unmistakably bizarre.

"Impressive. You truly are different..." Nepheli mused, not forgetting to drop a sharp critique on Emperor Yasui. "Yasui Tokiyuki, that idiot. I suppose dying by your hand wasn't exactly an injustice."

"It's just a pity that I have no obligation to keep trying to persuade you. Still, I believe I've shown enough sincerity. Will you hear out my request now?"

Her pivot came swiftly, signaling an end to her answers.

"Thanks for the insights. I've learned a lot," Fu Qian said. "So, what is it that you want?"

Even though he was left with a fresh batch of unsolved mysteries, Fu Qian didn't press Nepheli any further.

Going too far is as bad as falling short. Technical exchanges were all about finding the right balance. She had already shared her core philosophy; could he really force her to hand over her entire operational blueprint?

Torture and interrogation were certainly options to consider, but he hadn't forgotten that, in his current state, he wasn't particularly skilled at spiritual manipulation.

Even the Burial Scroll was currently on cooldown.

"A portion of that golden flame that obliterates the will. I imagine that shouldn't be too difficult for you."

Bypassing any pleasantries, Nepheli stated her request directly.

...

So she wasn't just here to clear up her doubts.

He had to admit, it was quite a unique demand, though it suddenly made everything feel much more logical.

Actions always had a purpose. Besides, no matter how one looked at it, dealing with him was never a safe endeavor.

Even if Nepheli had guessed that he was the one dragging her name through the mud, she wouldn't be naive enough to hunt him down just to demand justice.

After all, if push came to shove, neither of them would hesitate to kill the other.

Looking back at Nepheli's recent series of actions, her immediate verification that the fake Ariel had indeed been him suddenly made sense. She was after the Flame of Frenzy.

Evidently, a certain Miracle she had once mastered had lost its effect.

"That's not difficult." Making no attempt to deny it, Fu Qian casually tossed the question back. "So, whose will are you trying to obliterate?"

"Mine."

Nepheli kept her finger pointed at her own face.

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