[Vol. 7] Chapter 286: Her Color
[Although the [Agent of Fate] died, because of its special origin, it had already become something like a god, undying and unending. The self-awareness it had built up disappeared at death, but the spirit it carried remained inside the [Wheel of Fate]. After a few hundred years of gathering strength, it once again broke off from the main body and became a new “Emperor Lion Beast”.]
[The “Wheel of Fate”, as the most powerful law spirit in the world, doesn’t have a will of its own. It only works by the rules, keeping everything fair and balanced according to the set path. But the beings known as [Agents of Fate] are different. Every time one is born, it has a new self and new thoughts, but the memories of the past don’t completely disappear.]
[Over millions of years and many lives, the [Emperor Lion Beast] slowly realized that each death felt too unnatural. It tried to take a different path from its past versions, hoping to avoid Fate’s backlash. But no matter what it did, as long as it still held the authority of Fate, and as long as it broke the rule that [Fate] should have no will of its own, and had the power to interfere with the [Apocalypse], it would always die in the end. Nothing ever changed.]
[So the [Agent of Fate] kept appearing… and kept dying again and again, each time corrected and erased by the [Wheel of Fate]. The [Emperor Lion Beast] was born over and over, stuck in an endless cycle. Finally, it became angry.]
[This so-called “set fate,” this so-called “unchangeable beginning and end”… that is the root of all suffering. If it’s impossible to escape or avoid it, then I’ll just destroy it instead!]
Speaking with a tone that seemed passionate, but clearly didn’t come from her own emotions, "Carinvega" finally looked up at the cracks in the arena sky that were now on the verge of collapse. Her face, however, remained calm and indifferent, as if none of this concerned her.
It was clear that the one who made that decision wasn’t this current [Agent of Fate], but a past version. She was just the inheritor, the one continuing the mission, and carrying it out.
But those past memories didn’t end there.
[To fight the true [Wheel of Fate], which is her own source, might sound easy when said aloud, but in action, it’s nearly impossible. The marks of Fate are everywhere. Even gods can’t fully escape its control. No matter how much the [Agent of Fate] tries to hide, dodge, or be clever, if they cross a certain invisible line, they will always be punished by Fate and die a tragic death.]
[She tried asking other gods for help. But for those gods, getting involved with the huge cause-and-effect power of the [Wheel of Fate] is even more troublesome than dying. The neutral and lawful gods didn’t want to get involved, and she couldn’t trust the Evil Gods either. After being rejected from all sides, she had no choice but to give up and continue her lonely, hopeless struggle.]
[And finally, about a thousand years ago, things began to change.]
Noticing a slight change in the priestess's expression, the red-haired girl nodded, understanding the reason behind it.
[Yes, that great war known as the [Divine Catastrophe] was not part of Fate’s original plan. It was a sudden change caused by some outside force. Because of that, the path of the [Wheel of Fate] was finally pushed far off course.]
[Since then, the gods have almost completely disappeared from this world, and the Origin Realm was sealed off by a powerful world barrier. As a result, the [Wheel of Fate]’s control over this world became much weaker. This gave the [Agent of Fate] the chance to finally carry out a plan they had long thought of, but had been unable to act on due to being constantly watched by the main body.]
[The [Agents of Fate] chose to give up their current life willingly. With help from a new ally, they changed their appearance and secretly hid the core of their being, something that should’ve returned to the [Wheel of Fate], within the bloodline of a few [Emperor Lion Beasts]. Then they waited for the ally to bring someone who could match and carry the power of Fate. By erasing their own identity and hiding in the background, they used the host’s mind to preserve past memories and carry out the plan.]
[And it worked. This clever method escaped the weakened detection of the [Wheel of Fate]. I was able to quietly steal more power from the main body, gaining greater control over Fate itself. The hope was that one day I’d become strong enough to stand against those unreasonable rules.]
[That’s the truth you wanted to know. That’s why I exist here. Now you have your answer, but the cost is… our plan has failed again. And it brought a backlash stronger than ever before. Now everything is headed into completely unknown territory… Are you satisfied?]
“Is that so… What a hard-to-believe story. But I guess everything I’ve been through so far was worth it...”
Taking a deep breath, Violet whispered softly to herself, her voice only loud enough for her own ears. Then she turned back toward the red-haired girl.
[It seems we’re almost out of time. But I have one last question.]
[Go ahead. Depending on what it is, I’ll decide whether or not to answer.]
[Hmm... That helper you mentioned before, the one who brought Carinvega’s soul from another world to work with you, who was it?]
[……]
Hearing this sharp question, Carinvega suddenly went silent for a moment. She seemed unusually hesitant. But soon, she firmly shook her head and said,
[I can't tell you. It's for their safety.]
As if she had already expected to be refused, Violet didn’t hesitate. She raised her voice slightly, speaking faster and with more pressure, her eyes fixed sharply on the red-haired girl.
[Then let me ask a different way. That person... she has long silver hair, doesn’t talk much, acts cold and distant, and her aura are very similar to both of ours right now, right!?]
[……]
This time, Carinvega didn’t give any clear reply, but from her slightly moved and puzzled expression, the priestess already understood what she meant. Violet’s calm heart began to race wildly.
So it was true... it really was true!
The one who brought Carinvega to this world…
The one who made her the new [Agent of Fate]…
It was [Hen]!!!
Ever since leaving the ancient spirit lands, aside from that so-called [Key of Three Moons], Hen hadn’t given Violet any further direction or hint.
But Violet always believed that Hen wouldn’t just sit back and do nothing. With her abilities, no matter how difficult things were, she would definitely leave behind some kind of hidden clue.
That’s why Violet had been so interested right from their first meeting.
The princess’s silver eye, part of her mismatched pair, was exactly the same color as Hen’s and Xiao Kong’s.
It left a very deep impression on her. That strange sense of déjà vu was the real reason Violet couldn’t help but keep trying to approach and investigate Carinvega.
Especially after the [Agent of Fate] appeared, and her silver color became more dominant, that feeling of familiarity became even stronger.
Even the abilities “Carinvega” used, while driven by the power of [Fate], looked very similar in form to the Fox God's space-based powers. It was impossible not to notice.
Previous [Agents of Fate] had never escaped the surveillance of the [Wheel of Fate], but “Carinvega” had, at least for now.
Clearly, that was thanks to the protective shield she used to hide herself, the one that had just broken because of some unexpected event.
So, it was very likely that this ability didn’t belong to her originally. It was power given by someone else.
And with that, all the clues finally started to come together.