Not seeing it in the future simulations was not a good sign.

Rei had already used Future Simulation countless times by now. It could be said that he had mastered the talent to perfection.

In truth, most of the time, whatever he saw during a simulation would unfold exactly the same way in reality.

But there were always a few rare exceptions where the simulation and reality diverged massively.

Sometimes, it was because of existences like Roya—beings whose very class granted them uncertainty, making them impossible to predict with complete accuracy.

The other possibility...

Was something related to Gods and Moon Sovereigns.

And that was precisely the scenario Rei least wanted to see.

Fortunately, he still had remaining uses of Future Simulation today.

Running a simulation directly on the spot posed no problem.

BZZZT—

The moment Rei focused on the monster, he entered simulation state.

The creature in the distance seemed to sense Rei’s gaze as well.

It slowly turned its head.

Its face was that of a bird, with a curved hooked beak.

But unlike ordinary monsters, it stood upright like a refined gentleman, a pair of thick glasses resting before its crimson eyes.

"You have arrived, Lord Kanzaki Rei."

Rei frowned slightly.

"You know me?"

Even as he questioned it, dense mist gradually wrapped around Rei’s body, blurring his figure until it became impossible to see clearly.

The Unsolvable Mystery was being pushed to its absolute limit.

It completely severed all outside attempts at observation and erased every trace of Rei’s existence from the world itself.

"No, Lord Kanzaki Rei."

"I do not know you."

"I am merely a guide. I follow the will of Lord Yog and came here to recite the words He commanded me to deliver."

Yog...

The Moon Sovereign of March.

Yog of Knowledge and Wisdom.

Also the Moon Sovereign worshipped by the White Tower.

Rumor said He possessed knowledge of everything known in the world. Even when Rei encountered Yakatikto during previous Future Simulations, she had mentioned Yog before.

The Unsolvable Mystery could indeed block divine observation.

But there were still certain existences capable of learning fragments of information about him.

Yakatikto relied on guesses—pure probability and intuition—so it did not conflict with the effects of the Unsovable Mystery.

But there was another Moon Sovereign...

Yog.

He could genuinely perceive the Rei hidden behind the Unsovable Mystery.

What Rei hadn’t expected—

Was for contact to happen this soon.

No.

This was too early.

DING!

As thoughts raced through his mind, a massive golden-green barrier instantly enveloped the surrounding space.

Yakatikto’s Fortune Ritual.

Activating the barrier required only mana.

Rei remained silent.

After completing all of this, he merely continued concealing himself while staring at the being before him.

"Xisa and the others are also waiting for you."

Xisa.

One of the people Rei had come searching for.

Right now, they should have been trapped inside a stone monument forest within the ruins, discovered by monsters and unable to escape.

Through several simulations, Rei had not only found their location—

He had also successfully rehearsed how to rescue them.

He had even extracted information from them afterward.

At the very least, the flow of events up to this point had contained no problems.

If everything went smoothly, Rei could bring Shumi and Elosha through this route—

Then directly take everyone back.

Straight back to the Moonsea.

Complete the mission.

And Elosha and Shumi could reunite with the Moonsea Expeditionary Army as well.

The intelligence they carried concerned the World-Center Tree, the Sea of Light, and the Insect Hive.

Furthermore, they themselves were actually reinforcements dispatched by the Great Sage.

And the current Great Sage was named:

Yuna.

In short, Rei had already written the entire script inside his letters. As long as things followed the scenario he had simulated beforehand, they could remain safe while steadily increasing their strength.

But...

Just what department are you people even from?

"Do I absolutely have to go?"

"What happens if I refuse?"

The birdman’s eyes were not looking at Rei.

It merely recited emotionlessly:

"Do you not wish to know the truth of your own origins?"

"Do you truly not find me familiar?"

Familiar?

Rei was absolutely certain he had never seen this being before.

No...

Wait.

Rei focused his gaze more carefully.

He looked directly toward the creature’s previous life.

"...Huang Minzhi?"

Wasn’t this his best friend from Earth?

Back then, aside from saving his own family, the person Rei had wanted most desperately to save—

Was this childhood friend who had grown up beside him.

The fist Rei had unconsciously clenched slowly loosened.

"Lord Yog bears no hostility toward you. At present, even the Moon Sovereigns cannot interfere with the material world."

"You are safe."

Rei already knew that the Moon Sovereigns could not interfere directly with reality.

Otherwise, an existence like Yakatikto would have descended personally long ago.

Although Yakatikto claimed she wouldn’t need to pay any price for descending, Rei honestly didn’t believe it much. If there truly were no consequences whatsoever, why would she have remained trapped for so long?

But within Future Simulation...

It might instead become an opportunity for descent.

Using his simulations as a medium to complete their manifestation.

Because it was only a simulation, their descent would not require paying any cost.

Heh.

Thinking about it that way, his Future Simulation almost felt like a gateway custom-made for the Moon Sovereigns.

"Why don’t you just tell me here what you want from me?"

"Lord Yog is not summoning only you. Aside from the four people you seek, your savior—Kumironi—is also attending this gathering."

"Gathering?"

"How many people did you people invite?"

"Quite a few. Among them should be many familiar faces to you. Individuals capable of changing the balance of the current world."

"Knowledge is built upon civilization. Yet now, the flames of war have begun destroying civilization itself. Should savagery and monsters completely seize the soil in which wisdom grows, knowledge too shall vanish."

"Lord Yog does not wish for the world to descend into barbaric ruin."

"I ask that you trust me."

"If you are willing to come with me..."

"Then please, come with me in true reality."

Rei stared at the bird-headed man before him.

Now that the gods had retreated and the churches’ reputations had collapsed entirely, the former deities either stood by as spectators, kicked people while they were down, or were directly responsible for the disasters themselves.

Even Yakatikto’s Church of Fortune merely remained hidden, refusing all involvement in worldly affairs.

Yet amid this chaotic era, the White Tower still stood firm.

The Tower of Knowledge continued guiding intelligent lifeforms, and the scholars of old now fought on the front lines against the monsters.

After investigating for so long, Rei had never once heard of Yog committing any evil acts.

"...Fine."

"I can go with you for a while."

If it were the old him, he probably would have turned around and left immediately.

No desire to wade into muddy waters.

No desire to involve himself in troublesome affairs.

Back then, he always believed that if the sky collapsed, someone else would hold it up.

But now—

Without even realizing it—

His strength had reached the point where if the sky truly collapsed...

He would become the one holding it up.

If he refused this invitation, it felt as though he would definitely miss something important.

Besides...

Kumironi was there too.

Rei had searched for her everywhere in his simulations and never found her.

Perhaps the thread of fate connecting them—

Had been waiting here all along.