Whispering Verse

Entering the white mist door, I didn't feel anything unusual, I just walked forward normally. There is still solid flat ground under your feet, and everything around you is shrouded in white mist, as if you have entered an illusory dream world.

And in this hazy and strange fog, just like what Professor Garcia said, the whispering in the ears seemed to have never said so many words at once:

[Outlander, you have stepped into the "corridor of time". 】

[Message from the ancient god "Father of the Infinite Tree": ]

[Autumn of the Fifth Age, 1068, in the Southern Continent, Hope Town. 】

[Event: The old god "Innocent Creator" fell. 】

[Duration 10 minutes. 】

Except for the sudden appearance of the proper nouns "Time Corridor" and "Ancient God", the information so far is the same as what Professor Garcia said.

[You have obtained additional information. 】

[The figure of the father of the infinite tree is watching you. 】

[The ancient god of time gives you a test. 】

[Witness the last wish of the old god, the "Innocent Creator", before his death. 】

[The Father of the Infinite Tree will give you rewards: Thaumaturgy - Blade of Time Disarray, Miracle Spirit Rune - Echo. 】

The sound stopped, Shade's eyes widened, and he stood in the white mist and said in surprise:

"Ancient God? Time Corridor? What are these?"

[Your soul is very sensitive, so I get more information than the ‘other self’ of an ordinary ring magician. I don't understand the meaning. 】

"So the mission?"

[The ancient god of time gives you a test...]

"No need to repeat what I heard, I know you're not a repeater. I mean, what does this mean? Have I encountered the rare situation that Professor Garcia mentioned? Also, this... ancient God, why is He "looking" at me? Has He always existed and not fallen?"

He stared into the depths of the white fog with wide eyes, but could not see any clues, as if this world called the "Corridor of Time" was only fog and endless nothingness. Thinking of this, Shade felt inexplicably creepy. This world is definitely not as simple as what you see now.

[The ancient god gives you a task, complete it and get the reward from the ancient god. This at least seems harmless. Also, there are still 9 minutes and 23 seconds left. 】

"Can't you make it clearer?"

[I want to tell you too, but I can’t give an answer. 】

Shade lifted his legs and walked forward. With just one step, the white mist around him disappeared. Professor Garcia clearly said that it is normal for investigators who travel through time to be surrounded by white mist.

What was even more serious was that Shade found himself standing on the streets of a town that looked like a backward medieval town. The streets were filled with sewage and gravel dust, and the air was filled with the smell of animal feces and rotten food. The houses next to them were low and dilapidated, and the sky was unusually gloomy, covered by dark clouds that were about to rain.

The thin and indifferent townspeople wearing dark rags turned their heads to look at the well-dressed young people. It's not like you won't be connected to the past if you don't initiate contact.

A person in the past time, a person who has observed the future time.

"This is again..."

【look up. 】

Looking up, he saw the huge colorful signboard of "Hope Town Toy Store" in front of him. It seemed like the only color in this black and white shabby photo. Shade understood his purpose in his heart. Before the townspeople gathered around him, he reached out and Pushing the door open and entering the interior of the store.

The townspeople were isolated, and there were two worlds inside and outside the door.

The bell at the door rang, and the sweet smell of candy spread throughout the store. All kinds of colorful wooden, metal, and ceramic toys almost filled the shelves. The sleepy young man behind the counter raised his head.

He was neatly dressed and wore a ridiculous red clown hat with white dots on his head. It was completely different from the costumes of the numb townspeople on the street. If it weren't for the fact that you could see the outside from the toy store window, Shade would doubt whether this was still the "Hope Town".

"Welcome to the Hope Town Toy Store, may I ask..."

The young man wearing a ridiculous hat stopped abruptly. He looked at Shade who was standing at the door and did not dare to move. The detective from the future time and space suddenly felt like his heart was about to stop beating at this moment.

Huge pressure came from the man behind the counter. The feeling of falling as if facing the abyss and the infinite sky made Shade couldn't help but take a step back and lean against the door.

Blood color suddenly appeared in front of his eyes, and then he realized that his eyes were bleeding. When he reached out and touched it, blood started to flow from his ears, nose and even the corners of his mouth. The internal organs were in severe pain, the head was swollen, and even the spirit was gradually becoming lax. Although the space occupied by the being in front of me is only the size of a normal person, the position of the world occupied by the being in front of me is definitely not that of an ordinary person.

The toys in the store came to life in front of my eyes, and the children's voices made up the oozing smiles in my ears:

"Saint..."

The knowledge about God was the first thing Shade read after getting the textbook.

Gods are high-dimensional existences. If they do not want to distort the rules of the material world after their appearance, they must have a support object in the material world before they can descend. This is called the saint form of the gods. The person behind the counter was undoubtedly the saint form of the old god [Creator of Innocence]. If it weren't for the fact that the other party had no ill intentions and his power was at its lowest level, Shade would definitely have suffered more than that.

He held the door behind him, almost unable to stand. Hallucinations and auditory hallucinations occupied his senses, but his spirit was particularly concentrated at this moment, and he even had the illusion that he was about to leave his body. He actually heard singing at this moment. The song composed of childish voices kept tempting his spirit towards madness.

The presence of the "miracle" element reminded by the murmuring voice in my ears, but the absence of "blasphemy", shows that this god is a good god.

"Interesting, future man."

The young man behind the counter spoke softly. It was certainly not Delarian, but Shade understood it.

"Didn't Professor Garcia say that all you need is a witness? Why did I directly face the old gods?"

He leaned his back against the door in pain, and the woman's murmur in his ears seemed to be saying something, but he could no longer distinguish it clearly. However, the woman's whisper seemed to have some kind of power, helping him at least not to fall into unconsciousness immediately.

"what do you want to do?"

The old god asked softly. Although he looked like a young man, it made Shade feel that he was already old for some reason. Seeing Shade's painful look, he stretched out his hand and pointed at him.

There were no light and shadow effects, but the pain of flesh and blood and senses actually disappeared. When Shade woke up from a dream, he felt that his whole body was soaked with sweat, and only a slight sense of pain was remembered in his brain.

"I want to...witness your last wish. Thank you for your treatment."

Shade said with a trembling tone. Although the pain was no longer there, the terrifying pressure he felt still made his body instinctively uncomfortable. The gods of this world are truly high-dimensional beings, not powerful mortals. Mortals cannot look directly at gods.

The saint shook his head:

"I'm just protecting you from the essence of God. This protection won't last long. As for my wish? No, you are still too weak. You need at least the afterglow of God to do such a thing. Go back, at least Now, you shouldn’t be here.”

“What is the afterglow of God?”

"I can't tell, this is God's secret. Knowledge has weight, and you can't afford it."

The saint's voice was gentle.

"Well, can you at least answer one of my questions, just one question."

Shade held out a finger. This was a rare opportunity that he couldn't let go. Although he now feels like his head is swollen due to lack of oxygen, he is still awake and understands what he wants to do:

"What is...an ancient god?"