Hearing that the battle was over, Daniel finally let out a faint breath of relief.

However, the Luck Goddess beside him sighed quietly and continued, her tone carrying a heavy fatigue.

"Although the battle has ended, what we did was only temporarily seal the passage to the Backworld," she said. "We paid a terrible price for it—sacrificing even part of the Land of Origin itself. But this method can't last forever."

Her gaze darkened as she spoke. "The only true way to resolve the problem at its source… is for us to ascend, to become true gods."

Daniel nodded slowly. Hearing that, many pieces finally clicked together in his mind.

A faint pulse of energy rippled between them as their mind power intertwined.

Within just a few seconds, an immense exchange of thoughts occurred—countless fragments of intelligence, memories, and insights passed between them in silence.

Through that brief but intense connection, Daniel obtained numerous critical pieces of information about what had transpired in this era.

Yet… even after gathering all that, Daniel hesitated.

He wasn't sure whether he should tell Luke the truth—that Mist had deliberately sealed away part of her memory.

After a moment of inner conflict, he decided to remain silent for now.

After all, Luke was the Luck Goddess; her luck value was so high that everything that happened to her—even misfortune—inevitably turned into fortune in the long run.

If Mist had chosen to seal her memories, there must have been a reason.

Revealing the truth now might not only disrupt that plan but also bring unforeseen consequences.

Not saying anything might actually be the best thing I can do for her, Daniel thought.

Then Luke spoke again.

"Aurelia's plan," she said quietly, "is to release the ancient gods and claim their divine thrones for herself."

Daniel's eyes narrowed slightly.

"I believe that's far too dangerous," Luke continued. "So I wanted to stop her. But… she wouldn't listen to me. You know what Aurelia's like—stubborn to the core. Once she's convinced of something, nothing can make her change her mind."

She paused briefly before adding, "I haven't told anyone else about this—only you. If I'm not mistaken, Lord Crossbridge… you've come here from the future, haven't you?"

Daniel didn't bother to deny it. He simply nodded.

There was no need to hide this from her—especially since beings like Kartora already knew.

To someone of Luke's level, such a truth was hardly shocking.

Luke's golden eyes turned toward the faraway horizon.

"So then…" she asked softly, "what exactly happened in the future?"

Daniel fell silent for a few seconds, recalling the sequence of recent events.

Then he began recounting everything that had happened since his return—the things he had seen and experienced, the chaos that had followed.

If the conflict between Luke and Aurelia had started over the ancient gods, then what had happened afterward—what had driven them apart further—must have been something even deeper.

He had the strong feeling that all of this was far more complex than it appeared on the surface.

After some careful thought, Daniel decided not to hold anything back.

He told Luke about the Thousand-Year Apocalypse, about Aurelia's transformation, about the abyssal invasion, and about everything he had witnessed in the Backworld.

The sheer volume of information was overwhelming.

As Daniel spoke, Luke's serene expression shifted through a range of emotions—shock, sorrow, realization.

"So…" she murmured, "Aurelia eventually did claim the divine throne of an ancient god."

Her tone was heavy but calm, as if she had already foreseen that outcome deep down.

"I understand now," she said. "When you arrive in the Backworld in the future, we'll be there to welcome you. And I'll make sure to prepare the materials you'll need."

A faint smile curved her lips. "You believe in intuition, don't you?"

Daniel smiled as well and nodded. He didn't tell her what exactly he needed, nor did he provide a list. He didn't have to.

With Luke's legendary fortune, the materials she gathered on instinct alone would likely be far more valuable—and far more suitable—than anything he could name.

Then Luke's expression softened, as if remembering something.

"By the way," she said, "in your story, I saw the name Isabella appear. She exists in this era too—and she took part in the battle that just ended."

She hesitated, then added in a slightly smaller voice, "Although… she wasn't much help."

Daniel blinked, a little surprised by the bluntness of that remark. Luke continued anyway.

"But her character is decent enough," she admitted. "She's a little impulsive at times, perhaps even frivolous, but deep down she's not a bad person. If you ever find yourself in a desperate situation, she might be able to help you."

Then she added, almost grudgingly, "But don't trust her too much either—she's not exactly an innocent little angel."

For some reason, Daniel couldn't help noticing a subtle trace of jealousy in her tone.

Jealousy? From the Luck Goddess herself?

The thought amused him for a moment.

But then he realized—it wasn't so strange.

Luke was still a woman, after all. And women, no matter how divine, still cared about beauty and comparison.

And Isabella, being of the merfolk race, possessed a beauty that defied description—flawless and ethereal.

Even a goddess might feel a twinge of envy in her presence.

Daniel chuckled inwardly at the thought.

But it also sparked another curiosity in his mind.

If a god of the "Beauty" domain truly existed… just how breathtaking would she be?

As their conversation continued, Luke's voice gradually softened.

A gentle yawn escaped her lips. She looked visibly tired; the clarity in her eyes began to fade.

"Lord Crossbridge," she whispered, "I'm so happy to see you again… I only hope our next meeting won't take so long."

Her words carried a strange mixture of fondness and melancholy.

"Oh—one more thing," she added suddenly. "Kartora should be waiting for you. But… I have a bad feeling."

Her tone grew faint, her eyelids drooping.

"Laeve and the others are probably still asleep," she continued. "We were all cursed by the ancient gods. Fortunately, Faer has studied curses extensively—he was able to lessen the pain for us. But we'll need more time to recover."

Her voice weakened further. "Laeve was wounded the worst. If not for that, our recovery would have been faster."

Luke briefly outlined the current state of things, then handed Daniel a glowing coordinate marker.

"Luna's power is weaker than ours," she said. "She suffered more serious damage. If you plan to visit her, be careful."

"I'm sorry I can't help you more… I'm already at my limit."

Her voice was barely audible now. "I must return to sleep. Lord Crossbridge… I believe in your choices. Whatever path you take, you…"

Her sentence trailed off unfinished as she fell back into slumber.

Daniel remained silent for a long moment, watching her peaceful expression.

He knew she wouldn't awaken again anytime soon. That brief conversation had already consumed all of her remaining strength.

And then—almost immediately—two shimmering portals appeared before him, side by side.

One led to Luna. The other—to Kartora.

Daniel frowned slightly. Why had Luke made him choose?

But then he smiled faintly.

After all, he was the master of Time Stream and could split his consciousness freely.

Why choose… when he could do both?

He raised his hand, summoning a perfect copy of himself—a fully capable clone imbued with a portion of his power.

The two figures exchanged a glance, then simultaneously stepped into their respective portals.

The world shimmered and shifted.

Daniel's main body emerged into an elegant room filled with a faint floral fragrance and a distinctly feminine atmosphere.

Every corner was meticulously arranged, from the silk curtains to the faintly glowing crystal ornaments.

It was the kind of room that could only belong to someone delicate and refined.

He immediately released his mind power, sweeping across the space until he locked onto Luna's location.

But almost at once, another presence appeared on his senses—fierce, powerful, and dangerously close.

A single name flashed through his mind.

Klein.

He focused his vision, and the Eye of Insight revealed the data before him:

[Klein][Level: 900][Domain: Wind][Tier: Demigod Rank]

Daniel's brows furrowed.

A powerful gust stirred the air. He could feel the pressure in the atmosphere thickening, the temperature dropping sharply.

An overwhelming sense of danger washed over him.

The winds around the room began to twist and roar violently, surging into invisible cyclones filled with a killing intent so sharp it almost cut through his very essence.

Klein's aura… it's unstable. He's on edge.

Fortunately, thanks to the protective interference of Mist's lingering power, Klein hadn't yet detected Daniel's presence.

But Daniel could clearly sense Klein's position—right beside Luna.

His expression grew thoughtful.

Something about this situation wasn't right. Why was Klein here, guarding Luna's room—or threatening her?

He took a deep breath and reached into his inner space.

Then, from within, he drew forth an artifact—the Gift of the Veiled Goddess.

A pale light shimmered over his form as his appearance began to blur and shift.

Moments later, the transformation completed.

In place of Daniel stood Luke, the radiant and serene visage of the Luck Goddess herself.

Daniel's eyes gleamed faintly beneath the illusion.

If Klein is near Luna, and she's injured as Luke said… I'll need to be cautious.

Let's see what the winds reveal.

And with that, the story continued into the next unfolding mystery.

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