Chapter 869: Leaving Station Fifty-Two/His Confusion

"I... what?"

Yulia sat up from the coffin, raising her palms to feel the pure life force surging within her body.

"I'm alive? This... how is this possible?"

Yulia couldn't believe it.

Even with a corpse preserved, after being eroded by the Faded End for countless ages, even the Golden Tribe's resurrection methods shouldn't have been able to bring her back to life.

"Nothing is impossible."

Ye Qiyan didn't linger here any longer.

Even though the End had departed, the

</path> war was over, and the world was no longer in despair.

</path>ReadHistory

But the beautiful dream woven by the Dreamweaver had not come without a price.

The world itself was the price.

Rumble!

The earth began to tremble.

Starting from the farthest point, mountains, rivers, the land, the ocean—everything existing turned to ash.

Its final act of gentleness was simply ensuring that the place where Ye Qiyan stood would be the last region to disappear.

Ye Qiyan's fingers tapped lightly across the Light Screen.

Even though the End had departed, the war was over, and the world was no longer in despair.

"Even the Golden Tribe's abilities don't necessarily have to be weaker than what exists now."

The invitation was sent.

A System Light Screen appeared before Yulia.

It wasn't Miatira's Light Screen, but rather one originating from the main System in the Wasteland—now that the Faded End had vanished, it had already intervened in this world.

The black tracks that had reappeared beneath Ye Qiyan's train were the best proof of that.

"Train Conductor... sir?

...You're right, the era of the Golden Tribe has long passed. Sir, I... may I address you as Hero?"

"Whatever you like. Just remember you owe me a life—you'll have to repay it someday."

Ye Qiyan smiled lightly, and was about to return to his train when Yulia actively ran over.

"Hero!"

She managed a few steps before gasping weakly for breath. In her current state, she was probably even frailer than an ordinary human just entering the Wasteland.

"I have a gift for you. The arts and beauty of the past probably hold no use for you.

I don't understand why it appeared by my side either, but this... I think you'll like it."

Yulia raised a gleaming golden model. Its appearance was remarkably similar to the Golden mech-soldier she had summoned earlier.

[Glory Imperial Guard · Holy

</path> War Mech-Soldier]

[Category: Blueprint]

[Uses: 7/7]

[Level: 10]

[Requires: Gold x 10,000kg, High-Grade Mechanical Parts x 1,000, Mind Magic Cube x 1, High-Grade Mechanical Combat Core x 1, Holy War Unit x 1, and [Any Type] Special Metal x 10 (independent units of that metal)]

[Note: Abilities will vary depending on the metal used]

Ye Qiyan glanced over the information on this mecha figurine, delighted inwardly, though his expression remained calm as he nodded briefly and stored it into his Storage Unit without fuss.

"Oh, not bad."

He said nothing more and walked straight toward his train.

Closing the train door, shedding his clothes, and lying down on the bed.

The last thing Ye Qiyan did while still awake was press the departure button.

As the void manifested ahead.

The black tracks stretched forward.

The resounding steam whistle sounded one final time in this world.

The train slowly accelerated, piercing through the void, returning to the Wasteland.

[Congratulations! You have cleared Station Fifty-Two · Despair Platform World · The Colorless Land?]

[Revision]

[This world has been renamed: World of Farewells · The Day of Golden Departure]

[Would you like to use the exclusive authority · Beacon of Memories?]

[No response... Automatically activated]

[Beacon for this World of Farewells has been preserved...]

["Goodnight, Train Conductor."]

Ye Qiyan's vision sank into that gentle darkness.

————

In the world gradually turning to ash.

Yulia accepted the invitation to become a novice Train Conductor.

That battered, utterly ordinary Level 1 train descended before her.

She stepped aboard the train and turned back to look at Aloflis, who stood frozen in place, at a loss.

"Let's go, Aloflis."

"Master... I am the intelligence of the Treasure Vault. I... cannot leave this place..."

"Haven't you noticed?"

"Huh?"

Yulia extended her hand toward her.

"You were struck by the beautiful dream the Hero bestowed as well~ Take a good look at yourself. Right now, you have only this final body, only this final will. Aloflis, we are about to set foot on a new path.

This time, we go together."

Tears welled up in Aloflis's eyes as she grasped Yulia's hand and boarded the train as well.

What kind of first station would await beyond the void?

Yulia didn't know.

She could only secretly anticipate it in her heart.

Anticipating the day she would meet the Hero again.

Ye Qiyan's name existed in her Friends List.

She gently traced that name with her fingers, her mind filled with the image of that tall figure.

"I will offer you everything, Hero~"

————

The Wasteland.

[Domain of the Colorless]

A wisp of gray-white fog arrived here.

He looked upon the Colorless—weakened, diminished in power, wracked with pain—and extended an invitation.

"Hm? Gray Fog? You want to End humanity—no, to End the train system? You want me to join in?"

"Don't come to me with such boring matters. Sure, back then you were the one who initiated the End against the Golden Tribe and the Hero race, but this time is different. Humans and that train system—I like them. They're moving fast, aren't they?"

"You should be well aware that some humans have long since caught up to and surpassed us. And I've personally experienced that feeling."

"Why speak in human language? It's a convenient language, isn't it? Gray Fog, I still have my own matters to attend to. Don't assume that just because I lost to a human, I'd go plotting their annihilation."

"If you truly intend to move against humanity, I will absolutely stand on their side this time."

"Reason?"

The Colorless condensed a somewhat imperfect humanoid form, shaped a mouth upon it, and grinned broadly.

"Because there's a human I quite like over there. In the future, he will become my Apostle—or perhaps defeat me before he becomes my Apostle!"

"Hey, weren't you cooperating with the train system? What's this? Now you're turning against that strange system instead? Come to think of it, you can talk too, can't you? I'm very tired right now. Say something for me to hear."

The Gray Fog was silent for a long moment. Finally, it too spoke using human language:

"Humans, the train system—they have disrupted the balance. This way, only one power will dominate. When that time comes, the situation of the Golden Tribe will repeat itself."

"You're overthinking it."

"Why?"

"Because humans aren't that united, nor that righteous. And above all—they are brimming with desire."

The image of Ye Qiyan surfaced in the Colorless's will.

"Precisely because of that, humanity will never follow the Golden Tribe's path. Gray Fog, that's all I have to say. If you wish to weaken me here, feel free to try. You know I never consider the consequences."

"...You will regret this."

The Gray Fog quietly departed.

He could not comprehend why these True Gods, these pinnacles, had undergone such changes.

"Humans... a bizarre race..."