Chapter 88: Unchanged
A ring world.
A colossal artificial structure orbiting a star, containing vast artificial living areas, a type of man-made habitable world.
In the past, the world of Hilaye, also known as the Bloodmoon Abyss, was the world where Xiao Guang's original body, the 'Light Humanoid', resided. It was a floating world filled with Aether, where even the continents were floating islands and the seas were rootless expanses of sky-ocean.
The sun of that world had fallen into decline in the distant past. The civilizations inhabiting Hilaye joined forces to move their floating islands, planning to bring their continents closer to the sun, connecting them into a ring to harvest as much light and heat as possible for survival... Of course, this plan ultimately failed. The entire world was destroyed by an evil ritual originating from the Black Mist Mother Entity, eventually transforming into a blood moon in the sky, which was the prototype of Xiao Guang.
And the 'Infinite World Ring' around the First Flame, found in the memories of the Plenty Evil God, was also a source of inspiration. Joshua drew from these ancient memories, collaborating with other deities and powerful beings from other worlds to design this unique 'Aether Ring World' plan.
First, find a world filled with Aether, preferably a dead world whose star had already extinguished, to skip the step of extinguishing a star.
Next, clear all matter within the entire world, creating an absolute Aether vacuum.
Then, ignite a brand-new, unique star, controlling its brightness and gravity, granting it the characteristics of a Void Behemoth, creating a controllable 'living sun'.
Finally, build the ring, using the special properties of the Aether world to maintain its stability and structure.
In fact, the 'Aether Demiplane' currently serving as the meeting hall for the 'Joint Assembly' was their practice product. It was precisely because most of their energy was focused on forging this ring world that the Mycroft Civilization seemed somewhat indifferent to the Joint Assembly, only sending Faina and Barbarossa to preside over it.
"The ring's design is intentional. From a reasonable perspective, we could certainly build countless small habitable structures orbiting the star, with no need for such a massive ring. But this is necessary."
At this moment, Joshua seemed to be talking to himself, or perhaps explaining to Nostradamus: "The ring is both a habitat and the foundation of a formation. The entire ring world is essentially the base of a super-massive world formation, and the artificial star is merely its energy core. After I lay the ring's foundation, the Seven Gods will come to imbue it with divine power."
He looked up at the distant golden star, slowly burning in the distance. The warrior's tone softened: "All life living on it will be part of this formation. The entire world will be shrouded by this unprecedented super-formation within a domain of absolute silence... This domain can even completely block the transmission of 'Divine Power', that is, 'Memes'. And after I cover this world with a blackbody barrier, it will be sent, by the combined efforts of the Seven Gods and myself, into the wreckage of the Star River within the Silent Void, ensuring absolute safety."
"Nostradamus, this is the last hope of despair, the hope we leave for the 'future'. No matter what, a seed of order will exist in absolute darkness."
"...The future, huh."
Hearing this, Nostradamus sighed softly. He also understood why Israel hadn't told him about this... If this world was the final refuge for the entire Mycroft Civilization, and other orderly civilizations, then its secrecy level was absolutely top-secret. Except during the final evacuation, probably no unnecessary person would know of its existence.
After all, since Joshua deduced the concept of 'Memes' and informed others, everyone understood that unless necessary, even information should not be transmitted excessively. Just like how widespread knowledge of an Evil God would undoubtedly attract it.
If it weren't for the fact that Nostradamus's Space-Time Sorcery was essential for accelerating the ring world's construction, he probably wouldn't know this news even now, just like Barbarossa and Faina, who were still unaware.
Of course, these two Legendary experts might have deduced that something important was being hidden from them, but they were smart enough to suppress unnecessary curiosity.
"So, even you, Joshua, don't think we'll win?"
After a moment of stunned contemplation, Nostradamus sighed again and gave a bitter smile: "Starting to prepare 'hope' from now on, even ready to send this world into the Silent Void... Haha, I thought everyone was immersed in conquering other civilizations and enjoying the thrill of the vast multiverse."
"No, I believe I will win."
In response to his old friend's doubt, Joshua shook his head vigorously. The movement of the giant god's head even caused large ripples of gravitational waves. He said in a deep voice: "Fighting is for victory. Although I won't say 'plan for defeat before considering victory' is wrong, if the entire race is prepared to flee before the battle even begins, then there will be no momentum in the fight."
"But, Nostradamus."
Suddenly, Joshua's tone softened. He turned his head, using eyes as large as planets to gaze at the old mage, who was only the size of an ordinary person, and said calmly: "There will always be those who don't want to fight."
A long silence ensued.
Nostradamus said nothing.
After a long pause, Joshua turned back to gaze at the star and continued: "The future battle with the Evil Gods will inevitably be a grueling, desperate war, staking life, soul, faith, and even existence—an apocalyptic war, a Heavenly War... You know? This is the great extinction our generation of civilization will face. It should have come long ago, but perhaps the Sage killed the Plenty Evil God and repelled that wave of attack, preventing the Evil Gods from achieving complete success."
"But now, it's here again, even more numerous and stronger than before. Their numbers are endless, their forms blot out the sun, they can distort worlds, shatter stars, causing all things, even the Star River, to dim and extinguish."
"These are the enemies we must face."
Saying this, despite the overwhelmingly oppressive atmosphere, Joshua laughed, the sound vibrating through the Aether vacuum: "These are not enemies everyone dares to face. Only madmen would be willing to step forward—a civilization cannot have everyone be madmen like me, who laugh out loud when thinking about such things."
"At that time, I will lead all the madmen and fools who dare to draw their swords against despair to fight against the idiotic, insane Evil Gods. We fight for victory, naturally unafraid of death... But what about those people? Those without power, ordinary, afraid of death, afraid of destruction, who only want to live a peaceful life, to live well, to grow and learn?"
Noticing the old mage closing his eyes, Joshua also closed his own. He said in a low voice: "They are the main body of our civilization—the continuation of our civilization."
"We fight precisely to protect them. We cannot reverse cause and effect, forcing them to bear the cost of madness, compelling them to be as mad as we are."
—Those who want to fight can fight alongside me. We will fight valiantly, battling against darkness and chaos until the very end.
—Those who cannot fight, who do not want to fight, should naturally live well, as much as possible, with all their might.
Not just live, they must live very well, with great momentum and dignity. They must live healthily, and then nurture the next generation of madmen and fools, nurture the next generation of those arrogant enough to believe they can overcome despair, mad enough to challenge the apocalypse, foolish enough to embark on an impossible journey.
A civilization cannot be composed entirely of smart people. There must be reason, but there must also be madness. That is a healthy civilization.
"So, this is hope, and the future."
Joshua opened his eyes, gazing at the massive ring structure before him. He said: "It is also the hope that allows all those willing to fight to fight without reservation until the very last moment."
For this hope, the cowardly can grow into the brave, those who fear pain can become unafraid of death. Hope can change people, grant them courage, but hope and courage can also kill people. Yet those who are killed do so willingly, because they fight for the future.
"I don't force anyone to be like me or understand me. Only I am like this, so eager for battle."
Slowly lifting his foot, Joshua and Nostradamus began to move around the world, causing massive spacetime distortions. The giant god, as if taking a stroll, began to cooperate with the Seven Gods outside the world, finely adjusting the Aether concentration within to ensure its circulation was balanced. While doing the work of reshaping the world, the warrior's tone was equally calm and peaceful: "Only I can feel the meaning of life in battle."
Nostradamus looked up. He seemed to hear a profound sense of loneliness in those words, but the warrior's tone lacked any such feeling, only a faint sense of delight... But the old mage was sure it wasn't an illusion.
"No, Joshua."
After a moment of silence, Nostradamus spoke, squinting his eyes. The old man, who had known the warrior for over fifteen years, said in a deep voice: "You are completely wrong about that."
The giant god's attention was drawn. He looked at his friend with some confusion, while Nostradamus stroked his beard and said calmly: "Although I truly cannot understand why you are so eager for battle—for me, battle is only a means, not an end... I can understand you."
"We can all understand you."
"Just as you can understand those ordinary people who don't want to fight, understand the discordant notes within a civilization, why can't ordinary people understand a battle maniac?"
Saying this, the old mage shook his head: "Take me, for example. This old man doesn't really want to fight either. I still want to continue reforms, to give the Empire a better, more perfect social system. I don't want to die so soon, to confront the Evil Gods, to fight for my life against those monsters. I have more important things to do... But does that mean I can't understand you? Can't understand someone who loves battle, who still harbors courage and faith when facing an unprecedented powerful enemy?"
The old man scoffed: "That would be unreasonable."
Civilization is the process of individuals understanding each other, growing and progressing hand in hand. Although this process is filled with countless annoying misunderstandings and conflicts, and people can never truly understand each other, only gradually grinding and adapting in pain, if one doesn't try, how can people cooperate? How can people share knowledge and technology? How can society and civilization grow and progress?
So, Nostradamus said calmly: "The ring world is a very good plan. What you said, Joshua, is indeed correct. Even if one firmly believes in victory, hope must be preserved... Precisely because warriors know that hope and the future inevitably exist, they are willing to wield their swords for tomorrow... I already understand your plan and that of the Seven Gods."
"I understand you, Joshua. You are a warrior. That's not strange, is it?"
Joshua did not reply. He remained silent, adjusting the Aether currents of the entire world to ensure an absolutely stable cycle.
The old man did not break the silence.
After a long time, the work ended. The warrior stopped.
He slightly raised his head. Joshua's gaze pierced through the world's shell, not yet covered by the blackbody barrier, looking towards the endless starry sky of the multiverse in the distance.
Half was the pitch-black Silent Void, the wreckage of countless former Star Rivers. The other half was the brilliant, shining sea of stars, the multiverse Star River that still existed today.
"Battle... is just a means."
He murmured softly, then let out a quiet laugh.
Yes.
Battle is just a means.
For the Takur High Patriarch, Emperor Amos, for all orderly civilizations and intelligent individuals in this multiverse Star River, battle is merely a means.
Perhaps, even for the gods, the Evil Gods, the Sage, other Meme lifeforms, and even beings like the mastermind behind the scenes, battle is only a means.
—But for me, battle...
Thinking this, Joshua slowly raised his right hand. He placed his thumb between the Silent Void and the multiverse Star River, dividing darkness and light, destruction and existence, chaos and order. His finger separated dimness and brightness, cold and warmth, death and life.
He divided all opposites, all contradictions—the very root of battle.
And the warrior stared at his own thumb, as if calibrating something.
"At least, now, here."
After a long time, he lowered his hand. At this moment, Joshua's eyes were clear, devoid of the radiance of divinity, devoid of the gloom brought by chaotic memories. At this moment, all the aftereffects caused by the Death Evil God had completely dissipated, even the silver halo of Steel Force was gone.
In the warrior's crimson eyes, there was only pure, unadulterated conviction. He said with a low laugh:
"I am still me."
"I have not changed."