Seichi stood with his hands clasped behind his back. After reawakening the memories of his previous lives, he spent many days reevaluating himself.

Having experienced countless reincarnations, accepting reincarnation itself was not difficult for him.

But after reincarnating once again...

What was he supposed to do now?

After being defeated by Kanzaki Rei...

What path was he meant to walk?

His original goal had been to search, through near-endless reincarnation, for the most perfect route to ascend to Rank 9.

But now?

Although Seichi had returned to the fractured Church of Reincarnation, the Church itself was no longer what it once had been.

His fall more than ten years ago had already caused the Church of Reincarnation to collapse into disarray.

And over the decade that followed—

The countless disasters that swept across the world only worsened the ruin of the already-broken Church of Reincarnation.

What remained now were merely scattered remnants.

Fortunately, the inheritance he had left behind within the Land of Moonwatch still remained intact, though even that could only be considered a small comfort.

Seichi stood before the floor-to-ceiling window.

"It’s the bright moon again..."

"So tonight is darkness once more?"

Despite it being June, there was no endless daylight. In fact, the nights had become even longer than the days.

Tap—

Suddenly, footsteps echoed from behind him.

The moment the footsteps sounded—

A razor-sharp sword was already pressed against the newcomer’s throat.

"Sword Saint... truly worthy of the title."

"Your sword is still as fast as ever."

Seichi leveled his blade and turned around.

His eyes settled on the uninvited figure.

It was a woman.

And yet her face was so painfully familiar that the moment he saw her, the coldness in his gaze unconsciously softened.

"It’s you..."

"Is it really you?"

"But how is that possible? So many years have already passed."

Seichi pushed the sword slightly farther forward until the blade touched her neck. Another inch and it would pierce straight through her throat.

Seichi had absolute confidence in his swordsmanship.

At this distance, he was certain he could sever the head of the person before him instantly.

"It’s me, Seichi."

"Ayane Chen."

Seichi shook his head.

"No... this has to be an illusion..."

As he spoke, he suddenly swung his sword!

Clang!

Yet just as the blade moved, Ayane caught his wrist.

Her voice was soft and gentle.

"This is the Land of Moonwatch. A place where everyone can finally live peacefully. Don’t do this... alright?"

"Do you remember? Back then, when I left you, it was to search for a way to attain immortality."

"I found it. And now I’ve returned."

Ripples surged through Seichi’s heart.

Ayane Chen had been his lover during his third reincarnation.

"Even if I eventually become a Rank 8 Scholar, five hundred years later I’ll still become nothing more than a skeleton."

"While you... will continue reincarnating."

"I don’t want to die like that. I want to live forever together with you."

...

The scenes from the past still remained vivid within Seichi’s memory.

He only remembered waking early the next morning—

To find nothing but a farewell letter.

She herself had vanished without a trace.

And now, three thousand years had passed.

Even a Rank 9 Class Advancement holder should have long since died completely.

Unless they had become a god and obtained eternal life.

But gods were confined within their Divine Kingdoms.

How could they possibly meet him face-to-face?

That was why the Ayane standing before him felt so unreal.

Even her appearance remained exactly as beautiful as it had been in her prime.

"If you’re really real... then why appear only now? At this exact time, this exact place, before someone like... me?"

Just as he had lost Reincarnation.

Just as Kanzaki Rei had restored the memories and power of his previous lives.

Ayane slowly shook her head.

"Because... it could only be now."

"Would you be willing to come with me somewhere?"

"Where?"

Ayane replied softly,

"It’s an invitation from the existence who revealed the method of immortality to me."

"Yog."

A flicker of shock crossed Seichi’s face.

"Yog?!"

"You mean that Yog?"

Ayane smiled gently.

"Yes. Yog, the God of Knowledge and Wisdom. The Moon Sovereign of March."

"He has invited you to attend a grand feast."

"The answers you seek... that existence should be able to provide them all."

Hesitation appeared in Seichi’s expression.

"Ayane, I still have one more question."

But before he could finish speaking, Ayane pressed a finger lightly against his lips. A faint tenderness rippled through her eyes.

"My feelings for you... have always been the same as yours for me."

...

[Turbid Sea]

Roya scratched his head with an awkward expression.

"When you put it that way, it feels kinda hard not to go."

"I do owe you a favor too... ah, fine, fine. I’ll go already."

[Boundless Mountain]

"Yog?"

"That guy Izparut should also be close to becoming a Rank 9 Mage..."

"Perhaps this is my final opportunity."

"As long as I can obtain the answer concerning the Origin from Yog, I can ascend before Izparut reaches Rank 9."

[Tower of Sages]

"Kanzaki Rei?"

"Master, what did you say? H-He really came back?"

Yuna stared at the white-haired sage before her, unable to believe her ears.

The sage merely nodded slightly.

"Yes. This is the divine revelation delivered by Lord Yog."

"He has returned. And he, too, seeks answers."

Yuna immediately stepped forward, placing a hand over her chest as excitement filled her voice.

"Then I’m going too!"

"This time, I’ll be the one to search for the answer!"

The white-haired sage smiled kindly.

"Silly child. That place was always reserved for you."

"Go see him."

...

On the shore beside the World-Center Tree, a red-haired warrior lifted the massive greatsword resting on his shoulder.

Across a distant crimson battlefield, a cold black-haired girl severed the head of a monster commander.

Upon a lush emerald island, golden hair fluttered behind a young woman carrying a magnificent longbow across her back.

A man manipulating puppets—his joints stiff like wooden marionettes—also raised his gaze toward the distance.

"An invitation..."

"So, the answers."

"Very well."

"Then I’ll go see for myself."

...

Shhh—

Passing through the phase corridor, the very first person Kanzaki Rei saw was someone familiar.

"Seichi?"

"Heh. What a coincidence. You came too?"

The moment Seichi heard that voice, a chill shot down his spine.

Turning around, he saw Kanzaki Rei materialize beside him together with two women.

It was as though some instinctive fear had been carved directly into his soul.

The moment he saw him, his spirit trembled uncontrollably.

Wasn’t this supposed to be a place to search for answers? What kind of cursed place was this? The instant he arrived, he ran straight into this living nightmare?

Even though Kanzaki Rei didn’t seem to have any intention of harming him—

His body still couldn’t stop trembling.

"Haha... yeah. What a coincidence."

Seichi rested both hands atop his sheathed sword, using the scabbard against the ground to stabilize himself while maintaining a calm and cheerful expression.

With the willpower of a Rank 8 Sword Saint, he forcibly suppressed the fear in his body.

"Brother Rei, you came here searching for answers too?"

"Yeah. A friend invited me. I do have a few questions I can’t figure out myself, so I thought I’d come try my luck."

The moment he saw Seichi, Kanzaki Rei had already roughly guessed how he ended up here.

As for rescuing Xisa, Kanzaki Rei said nothing.

Most likely, everyone who arrived here had been invited for one reason or another.

At the same time, Kanzaki Rei intended to run a rehearsal simulation here as well.

But just as he was about to begin—

A powerful instinct sounded an alarm in his mind.

If he performed a rehearsal here, the Moon Sovereign might use that rehearsal itself as a medium to descend into the world...

...

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