Chapter 202

202: The Truth You Can Never Reach

Is ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍this the power of her Authority?

Zophi's ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍heart jolted. He subconsciously tried to mobilize the magic power within his body to test it, but the next instant, the expression on his face changed from surprise to horror.

He ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍actually could not sense his own magic power!

Not ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍only that, but right now, he could not even connect to his Domain.

Zophi ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍subconsciously held the Holy Spear [Longinus] across his chest. The situation before him was truly too bizarre; he had to treat it with caution.

Fortunately, ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the [Fate] Authority of the Holy Spear still existed.

A flash of golden-red light streaked through Zophi's pupils. In an instant, he saw the direction of Jasmine's upcoming attack.

Yes, this was one of the authority effects of the Spear of Destiny, [Longinus], the [Fate Inscription] that could predict the future.

The reason Zophi was able to block every one of Jasmine's slashes so accurately earlier was not only due to his own excellent combat experience, but the future glimpsed through [Fate Inscription] had also played an extremely important role.

And now, he used this ability once again to see the direction of Jasmine's attack.

In the future glimpsed by [Fate Inscription], Jasmine would walk straight toward him brazenly and unleash a plain, unadorned slash with the Pitch-Black Sword in her hand.

"In that case..."

Zophi's mind moved, and he immediately activated the second ability of [Fate Inscription]: Future Deduction.

This ability was based on the activation of [Fate Inscription]. Since the future had been glimpsed, any move Zophi made next could cause the originally set fate to change, thus evolving into an advanced ability.

Simply put, Zophi could simultaneously peek at different future trajectories resulting from his different actions, and choose the future more beneficial to himself.

"This is?"

After activating Future Deduction, the confusion on Zophi's face did not diminish. Instead, it became more intense.

The reason was none other than this: in every future Zophi saw, no matter what means he used to counterattack, Jasmine would not dodge or evade, just like before, nor make any defensive movements, letting Zophi kill her once again.

What exactly did she want to do?

According to Zophi's deduction, thirteen resurrections should already be the limit of what Jasmine could achieve, just like how the maximum number of Black Mud avatars she could summon simultaneously was thirteen.

But right now, she still chose to let him kill her. This was truly illogical.

"Tap, tap..."

Just as Zophi was thinking about this, Jasmine was still walking slowly toward him.

For some reason, the "tap tap" sound made by the tips of Jasmine's feet touching the ground was so piercing in Zophi's ears at this moment. It even caused him to feel an invisible pressure and unease.

Forget it. The future is destined anyway. Let's do this!

Zophi shook his head, throwing away those miscellaneous suspicions and worries. Every future seen by [Fate Inscription] was a result where he killed Jasmine. Since that was the case, and the result was the same, he did not need to hesitate anymore.

Zophi's figure flashed, instantly arriving in front of Jasmine. The Spear of Longinus in his hand stabbed out without hesitation, piercing through Jasmine's chest without any accident.

The entire process was exactly the same as what was seen in [Fate Inscription].

Jasmine stood blankly on the spot. The hand holding the Pitch-Black Sword trembled continuously, just as Zophi had anticipated. She was at her limit.

There was no fourteenth resurrection. Thirteen times was already her limit.

No, something is still wrong!

The feedback from the spear in his hand was incomparably real, and Jasmine's life was gradually fading away. But having reached Zophi's level, even without relying on abilities like [Fate Inscription] that peeked into heavenly secrets, his sense of crisis was quite keen.

At this moment, he could clearly feel that the trace of unease in his heart still had not dissipated.

Even as time passed, it was amplifying bit by bit...

It's here!

Suddenly, Zophi's whole body shook. He saw his body tensing up uncontrollably, and his whole person started drifting backward as if sliding.

And in front of him, Jasmine, who was originally on her last breath, suddenly raised her head. Those dull, blood-colored eyes regained focus, and the look she gave Zophi was filled with pity and mockery.

Most critically, the wound on Jasmine's chest also started to recover rapidly along with Zophi's retreat.

Time. It was time!

Watching everything that had originally happened gradually return to its original state, Zophi immediately realized what had happened.

Time [Reversal]. It was Time [Reversal]!

Could it be that the Authority bestowed upon her by Death Magic was [Time]?

The next moment, Zophi's body returned to its original place, the original place before he acted.

Zophi looked at Jasmine warily and activated [Fate Inscription] once again.

But, the things peeked at by [Fate Inscription] this time were exactly the same as last time.

The same lack of resistance, the same piercing through the chest. The future seen by [Fate Inscription] had not changed. It was still Zophi "killing" Jasmine.

Fate still chose him, Zophi Gregory!

Light flickered in Zophi's eyes. The next moment, he chose to launch an attack again, swinging the Spear of Longinus in his hand to stab at Jasmine.

But this time, Zophi's peripheral vision noticed something on his side.

It was a completely crimson spear.

It was [Longinus]! How was that possible!?

Zophi turned his head instantly. The next instant, his pupils dilated violently!

What... what did I just see!?

Countless Zophis maintained the same attacking posture as himself. And as he turned his head, these "Zophis" also started turning their heads one by one to look around, the astonished expressions on their faces exactly the same as his current one.

Was this an illusion?

No, impossible. In front of me who possesses [Fate Inscription], any illusion is impossible to establish!

Could it be, could it be...

Could Jasmine's Authority be!

"This is the Authority of [Reincarnation]."

Zophi turned his head violently again, only to find that Jasmine had quietly arrived behind him at some point.

"What you saw was indeed the real [Future]."

"Your ability also indeed saw the actions that had actually been initiated."

"But…"

"You can never reach the truth that will actually happen!"

"No matter what ability you possess, at the moment you killed me for the thirteenth time, it became forever impossible to realize!"

"Everything of yours will return to the original starting point along with the activation of [Reincarnation]!"

"This is the true power bestowed upon me by Death Magic!"

"The Authority where causality and time intersect: [Reincarnation]!"

Jasmine held the Pitch-Black Sword, a light flashing in her scarlet eyes that had never been there before.

"You are the second person fortunate enough to taste this ability!"

"Feel it well, Father!"

"Even I, a Saint, can get angry!"

Jasmine raised her hand. The next moment, within this pitch-black geometric corridor, thirteen of her appeared one by one before Zophi.

And finally, they transformed into the one and only, truly [Real] her!

The Pitch-Black Sword slashed down fiercely!

One slash was enough!

RelatedRelatedRelated