# Chapter 35: The Belated Reward
Located on the northwest side of the central continent of the Central Star, the Holy Mountain, wrapped by countless undulating mountain ranges, is covered in white snow all year round. Gray-white rocks mixed with frost form the sacred landscape that the Midgardians have revered for thousands of years. In this place with an average altitude exceeding four thousand meters, the largest mountain gathering area on the entire planet, everywhere are steep cliffs and precipices. Except for a few tenacious coniferous plants and tundra mosses that can take root here, it can almost be said to be a dead zone for life.
Yet, in the center of this high-altitude mountain range where even microorganisms struggle to survive, surrounding the world's highest peak, there stands a vast and magnificent architectural complex. Countless solemn temples stand firm under the biting cold wind. Although the surfaces of these rock walls, which have existed for a thousand years, are mottled, their interiors remain sturdy and intact. The flagstone-paved roads can still be walked upon by crowds. Now, thousands of priests and ascetics clad in simple robes walk among the ancient reliefs and inscriptions on the outer layers of the many temples, devoutly heading to the temple at the foot of the Holy Mountain to worship.
Fifteen days have passed since the Void Mother Beast was burned to ashes by the flames of Neptune Star. After a brief moment of cheering and joy, Midgardian civilization fell into great grief: of the three colonies outside the home star system—Flower Court, Root Court, and Second Leaf Court—only the Flower Court colony star survived. On the other two colony stars, a total of sixty-seven million citizens died under the attack of the Void Mother Beast. Elderly people lost their children, lovers lost their beloveds, and close friends had only one survivor. The pain of loss struck like a tsunami, plunging the entire planet's atmosphere into a freezing point.
Losing two colony stars and a quarter of the total population was a tremendous blow to the Midgardians, who reproduce slowly and already had a small population. Moreover, losing the resources of two star systems was also a huge blow to the resource supply for post-war reconstruction. Faced with suddenly reduced food supplies and soaring prices, the Midgardian central government had to begin material control and implement unified supply according to demand. This forced many Midgardians to tighten their belts and use the scarce resources and food for their children.
However, just this alone could not break the Midgardians.
Late at night, in the northwest mountain range of the Central Star, on the nameless yet more famous than any peak Holy Mountain, a man in a black coat stood on an ice-covered cliff. He was close to the mountain peak, but...
And of course, this would not do. A race that has lost its desire for exploration, its curiosity for mystery and the unknown, will only gradually wither away in the river of time, becoming nameless rotten bones. Whether it was Milharbus or Taquin, or other Midgardians, they all held negative views on such pessimistic opinions.
"Therefore, we need your name, your deeds."
The highest executive officer of the Central Star knelt on one knee together with his old friend before the warrior who had his back to them. He spoke in a sincere yet firm tone: "Your temple is being built, your legend is spreading, your statue will appear in the squares of every city, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Saints—the renovation of Neptune Star Fortress has been put on the agenda. It will become a huge monument suspended in the gravitational orbit, publicizing your and Lord Nostradamus's deeds of defeating the Mother Beast, and the Great Red Spot of Neptune Star will become a memorial area, recorded in textbooks."
"...There is no need for this."
"It must be so, Lord."
In response to Joshua's repeated reply, Milharbus shook his head and said: "This is not a project to flatter you. This is to prove that our enemies, those beings from the Void, once appeared, once destroyed, once ravaged... and once were defeated. The value of these monuments and statues is not to show off victory, but to tell our people and descendants that we have overcome despair and defeated monsters from the Void."
—So there is no need to fear the darkness and the future.
The last part, Milharbus did not say out loud, but both the warrior and Taquin knew his meaning. Joshua was silent for a moment, then nodded, acknowledging this answer. He asked with some curiosity: "From what you say, it seems you are preparing to fight against Chaos—that is, Void Beings?" He emphasized his tone: "But as long as you don't casually use the Void Portal Ritual, they won't come to this world."
"Unless we are in a desperate situation with no other choice, we will not activate the Void Portal Ritual again."
Milharbus shook his head. He turned his head and exchanged a glance with the silent Taquin, and then the commander of the Central Fleet spoke in a peculiar tone: "But you might not believe it, Lord. Among the fleet and high-level government officials, many have received revelations in their dreams."
The old Midgardian's face was tired, but his aura carried a strange excitement. He looked up at the gray, seemingly within reach sky where heavy snow was falling, and said in a low voice: "In the dream, there was a vast, warm existence that gave revelations to us Midgardians, even to all civilizations in the star sea... It said that evil has invaded, and in every corner of the galaxy, enemies from the Void are spying on this star sea. We must go and defeat them, strike first, eliminate all enemies before they grow up, or else we will never have peace!"
It was the Steel Serpent 'Star'. Joshua understood immediately. The self-immune system of the Starry World had activated, and the consciousness of this world had manifested, declaring war to all its children. Through a kind of vague precognition, the warrior could even foresee fragments of the future: countless warships from different civilizations and races gathering in the spiral arms of the galaxy, forming a steel river shining among the stars. Then, they would sail toward the almost endless dark swarm that devoured stars. The war between the two would span countless galaxies and light-years. Millions of suns would be extinguished, and billions of lives were destined to turn to ashes in this conflict, becoming imperceptible dust in the universe.
This scene was so grand and magnificent that it could not end even after thousands of years. With the dark cosmic starry sky as the stage, countless stories and legends would unfold. Joshua did not know who the final victor would be, but he was willing to believe in the power of life.
"Milharbus... I know that the Midgardians have a splendid civilization spanning thousands of years, but what you are about to face is evil that has existed since ancient times. Their birth even predates the awakening of your ancestors' wisdom."
Because of this, Joshua offered his advice: "Your technology is not weak; it even far surpasses the civilization I come from. But you are severely lacking in top-tier combat power... This is caused by the characteristics of your civilization, but regardless, you cannot act rashly against them. At least heal your wounds first."
"Your teachings are the guidelines for our actions."
Bowing their heads slightly to show respect, Milharbus and Taquin then raised their heads together and spoke in a slightly hesitant tone: "However, Lord... may we ask when you plan to leave?" When he said this, Milharbus paused, then lowered his head and continued: "This is not because we are unwilling for you to stay in the Central Star, but your companion, Lord Nostradamus, has mentioned several times that you and he still have unfinished missions on the other side of the Void. We dare not hinder your tasks, so we wish to know the time of your departure so that we can prepare the return ceremony."
But what Joshua said next made the two raise their heads in shock, staring at his back.
"Immediately."
Still not turning around to look at the two who represented the highest secular power of the Central Star, Joshua raised his head and gazed at the thick clouds rolling in the fierce wind. His gaze seemed able to pierce through the haze, reaching directly into some corner of the world's interior. The warrior said calmly: "I should have left seven days ago. The reason I am still staying in this world is only to wait for a belated response and reward."
"But now, it has arrived."
The next instant, before Milharbus and Taquin could figure out what Joshua was talking about, accompanied by a hazy silver light flickering at the foot of the Holy Mountain, Xiao Guang, who had been cooperating with Lin in carving ice sculptures, suddenly shimmered with a misty starlight. All people and things illuminated by this light seemed to have time frozen—snowflakes solidified in the wind, frost stopped spreading. Then, it disappeared from the real world together with Joshua.
Inside the world, beneath the dome of the starry sea, the warrior looked up at the Steel Serpent 'Star' coiled around the galaxy. He shook his head somewhat helplessly and said: "You're late."