Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

Time no longer shyly hid from Shard; it revealed all its secrets to him. The river of time became complete in Shard's eyes, the bridge connecting the Fifth Era and the present finally showed its form.

He wanted to stand up, but the weakness and the feeling of excruciating pain from the bleeding of the seven orifices nearly caused Shard to fall. Fortunately, the doctor caught him in time.

"I'm okay."

In a daze, Shard clutched his head with his left hand, passing the relic in his right hand to the doctor to put back in the box, while he steadied himself against the wall, trying hard to stand firm.

"So, after the Fifth Era ends, it's the first cycle of the Sixth Era. Then the time of the Sixth Era was destroyed, everything returned to the beginning of the Sixth Era, and time flowed into the second cycle of the Sixth Era. Subsequently, the time of the second cycle of the Sixth Era was also completely destroyed; everything returned to the start of the Sixth Era, entering the third cycle of the Sixth Era..."

If Shard hadn't already entered the Five Rings and his soul and body hadn't become so much stronger after numerous adventures, he suspected that the moment he uncovered the truth just now, his head would have exploded like a watermelon.

The [Bygone Era: Sixth Era] has repeated six times already, and the time when the Outlander arrived is the seventh cycle of the Sixth Era. The Old God [Blazar Gate] had hinted at the end of the adventure in the Forest of Thousand Trees that this isn't truly the Sixth Era, which was a remarkably precise description.

The real Sixth Era has long passed, yet it still remains the Sixth Era. Strictly speaking, this is indeed not the Sixth Era, but the answer given by [Time Perception] isn't wrong either.

"What exactly happened in the past?"

A light laugh emerged from the depths of his heart, "her" amusement smoothed the explosive agitation in Shard's mind, also stabilizing his extremely unstable soul.

"Doctor, I want to feel the night breeze... feeling a bit dizzy."

He said softly, and the doctor nodded with some concern, then watched as Shard opened the grille door leading to the mechanical structure behind the giant clock face of the Clock Tower.

Behind the grille door was a beam path surrounded by wire mesh, cutting into the center of those giant gears, allowing the mechanics to enter the machinery's interior. At the end of this path was a door on the wall locked up. After Shard opened the door with the [Key of the Door], he leaned on the metal railing near his waist. With a sharp sound, the metal plate fixed in the sliding track was pushed outward, extending the path outward. They walked out through the small door on the clock face, leaning against the cold metal handrail, standing under the snow-laden starry sky.

It was somewhat like standing on the terrace outside the clock face of the Clock Tower, but this terrace was a little too narrow, so there was no need to worry about being seen.

"Did it succeed?"

The doctor asked, as the icy winter wind blew over the two. Shard barely nodded. He felt like his lungs were on fire, his ears buzzing, his brain stuffed with a brick. But he also recovered quickly, and this result didn't surprise him. Or, rather, he had already guessed part of the truth.

"Not long ago, I met an old professor in Huntington City."

Shard's voice was hoarse, which startled him a bit:

"He was crazy for knowledge like Lakin Prisia, but after truly touching the mystery, he became afraid, and so he retreated."

The doctor looked at Shard with some confusion, not knowing why Shard was telling this story.

"Doctor, do you know?"

He looked at the psychologist with blue eyes under the night sky:

"I, too, am madly seeking knowledge, pursuing a truth about the world, about everything. And now, I have found it."

The doctor was taken aback, then asked:

"Are you afraid?"

"Of course not."

"Then, do you want more like Lakin Prisia?"

"Certainly not, this is enough for now."

So the doctor laughed:

"You see, you are different from Lakin Prisia and from that old professor you mentioned."

"We live on a small island called Ignorance, surrounded by an endless black ocean..."

Shard said softly, holding the cold metal handrail as he looked at the city beneath the starry sky.

Professor Drake said, the pitch-black tomb is right in front of us, and I am willing to rest here, listening to the wind and waves;

Sir Plisha said, but still set sail, to explore, to witness, to desire, to seek knowledge.

And at this moment, the doctor said:

"Sail cautiously, proud sailor. Lower your sails, gently row your oars, and travel carefully in the infinite Sea of Darkness. Lower your head, brighten your eyes, in the ocean named truth, there is bound to be another land where you and I can survive."

Shard laughed:

"Doctor, perhaps you truly could become a writer."

"Really? I thought so too."

The doctor also laughed, and together with Shard, looked at the myriad lights of Tobesk City from the top of the Clock Tower.

"Just now you asked me, what is Knowledge and Wisdom. Now, I want to change my answer—"

The icy wind whistled past the side of the Clock Tower, bringing snowflakes as it passed between the two of them. Overhead, the starry sky was obscured by dark clouds, with three moons shining on the land behind the Lighthouse; beneath their feet, the Northern Pearl, Tobesk City, lay like a chessboard in its grid of gas lamps, clusters of firelight stretching further into the darkness, revealing the City of Steam sprawling across the plains.

In the hazy gray mist, the snowflakes were lightly cool, two giant black pointers behind them rotated slowly. Together they stood at the city's highest point in the dark, as if they could reach out and touch the deep black night sky.

Shard crossed his arms over his chest, while the middle-aged doctor extended his right hand to point forward, just like in those oil paintings where light and shadow are emphasized, atop the principal subject of the Clock Tower, two small silhouettes.

Compared to this city veiled in gray mist and illuminated by countless stars, they were truly insignificant:

"These lamps we see shining at night, the chimneys standing afar in the snow, and the giant machinery operating behind us—this is the Knowledge and Wisdom belonging to our era."

"Civilization?"

Shard asked, the doctor thought for a moment, then nodded with a smile:

"Yes, civilization."

A shadow of the Ring of Fate emerged behind the doctor within the steam mist, a brand new Enlightenment Spirit Rune appeared triggered by this moment.

Amid the slightly harsh sounds of the clock chimes and steam whistles, "her" gentle voice also manifested among the swirling snowflakes:

[Present World: Sixth Era, Common Era Calendar 1854, Winter, Moon of Birth. On a snowy night, no one can clearly see your face, just as on the road of inquiry, no one can unravel your mystery. The Mad Seeker will eventually fall into eternal madness; the cautious Secret Keeper has gained the Power they desire. The Old God has bestowed a blessing, the Angel has granted strength, the Keeper of Secrets is guiding the way, twelve trials, a new adventure and legend. O Outlander surrounded and cherished by Witches, when you draw your Longsword to pierce through the fog of ignorance and glimpse the truth of Time, what does this Knowledge mean to you?]

Shard silently watched the city shrouded in mist, letting snowflakes fall upon his shoulders:

"Actually, you are also my Secret Keeper."

"She" laughed softly and asked:

[Then let me test you—what is the true nature of Time?]

"In total, there have been six Bygone Era: Sixth Eras, and now is the seventh Sixth Era. The true Sixth Era has long passed... Luviya... Luviya's other self is the so-called 'Reincarnator' or 'Time Destroyer', she has long known everything, perhaps it is she who caused everything in Bygone Era and Present World. Only, I'm not sure if every time Time reverses, it's related to her."

A whisper sounded beside his ear:

[Outlander, you have touched upon Miracle, Desecration, Enlightenment, Whisper]

[You have learned the complete truth about Time, you can choose not to be affected by Time-based powers, with permanent substantial enhancement of Time-based powers.]

[Touch the Shadow of the Tree Father: Does not consume Spirit.]

[Blade of Chaotic Space-Time: Can summon up to three weapons simultaneously from Time.]

[Echo of the Past: Listen to Time extended to 'Divine Afterglow' state for 72 hours, normal state for 48 hours.]

[Ancient Sound: After touching First Era items, gain more information.]

[Breath of Ages: Reverse Time extended to three years, Accelerate Time extended to ten years. Consumes lifespan, at one-fifth of influencing Time.]

"This time, it must be the last Sixth Era, I will change everything."

Shard let out a sigh partly in reflection, watching his breath turn into white smoke as it scattered in the snow, before slightly turning his head under the starry sky and speaking to the doctor feeling the power with the Ring of Fate vanished behind him:

"Doctor, thank you for your help tonight, the ritual went smoothly. After tomorrow's exam ends, let me shoot you with an arrow."

"What?"

The doctor by the Clock Tower's faceplate curiously looked into the darkness toward Shard's face.

"I got an arrow, that arrow..."

All the adventures since winter surged through his heart, the unexpected power gained from knowing the Knowledge of Time also lingered within. Shard felt something, smiled and gently shook his head:

"What I mean is—Knowledge is truly Power."

Having said that, he turned again to look at the city below, hands on the railing, his right index finger tapping on the metal.

And as his words fell, a dark gold phantom tome appeared behind Shard, opening and then closing. The light and shadow were extremely dim, Shard himself couldn't see it, but this time, the doctor was sure he saw it.

The blue-eyed middle-aged psychologist curiously blinked but said nothing.

One held the railing with both hands, the other crossed his arms over his chest, the gentlemen in black coats, before the Clock Tower's faceplate, gazed at the myriad lights of Tobesk in the snow, a brand new year had truly begun.

Only "she" laughed softly and said:

[Outlander, you have acquired new Power.]

(End of the Volume)