Before anyone realized it, another day had passed.

Just as he had vowed, Odin emerged victorious over his Divine Chosen adversary, ascending to become the first Fake God of the human race.

According to Odin's own account, the Divine Chosen named Auxis that appeared during his God Rank Trial wasn't truly a living being, but rather an external manifestation of the trial's inner will — a test woven from his own spirit and fear.

As the battle dragged on, the appearance of Auxis constantly changed, adapting to counter Odin's strengths.

Each transformation revealed new techniques and domains designed to suppress him.

It was a brutal, soul-scorching fight.

But Odin's foundation was solid.

His combat instincts were refined, his will unshakable.

No matter how much the trial shifted to crush him, he broke through each phase with sheer determination, defying despair again and again.

When the final blow landed, and Auxis' figure shattered into divine mist, Odin's advancement became inevitable — the natural conclusion of his perseverance.

His ascension wasn't sudden. It was earned.

And with that, Odin became the first of his kind.

But he wasn't alone for long.

The First Human Emperor also succeeded in completing his advancement ritual, reaching Fake God rank soon after.

Two more top-tier human awakeners followed, blessed by fortune and strength alike.

Both managed to survive their own trials and attain the same divine threshold.

Daniel didn't know them well, but that didn't matter.

He had guided and supported them regardless.

In just two days, four human Fake Gods had been born.

It was a monumental leap for the human race — one that sent ripples through every layer of existence.

The collective strength of humanity surged again, almost palpably.

The empire's divine energy brightened, and its people's morale soared.

Yet Daniel, even as he watched this transformation unfold, remained calm.

He knew the truth: though the human race now boasted four Fake Gods, their power was still in its infancy.

They were far from the likes of Fleshheart, whose might had once warped worlds.

Even comparing them to Kartora was laughable — aside from sharing the same rank, they were on entirely different planes of existence.

As for Alice, she too had fulfilled all the requirements to ascend. Yet she chose not to — at least, not for now.

Daniel respected her decision completely.

Before he departed, he crafted for her and the others a special plane, built from a plane core — a sanctuary that could serve as their last line of defense.

The structure was simple but powerful: a self-contained pocket dimension that could shield them if catastrophe struck.

When all preparations were complete, Daniel turned to Odin.

"Odin," he said softly, "are you sure you want to stay in this era?"

Odin hesitated for a moment, then smiled bitterly.

"If it's not possible, then forget it," he said. "But I truly worry for the humans left behind. There are still other Fake Gods in this time — dangerous ones. At least with my current strength, I can protect them for a while."

His voice was steady, sincere.

Even now, though no longer the Human Emperor, Odin's heart burned with the same unshakable loyalty.

He still carried the instinct to protect every member of his race.

When he had first handed leadership to Daniel, he had felt at peace — even joyful, finally free to pursue his own growth.

But now, seeing that over a billion humans had stayed behind through Project Hope, he couldn't just walk away.

Daniel wouldn't be remaining here forever. Someone had to watch over them.

Daniel studied him quietly for a while, then nodded.

"…Alright. If that's what you want, then stay."

He smiled faintly. "This world will one day belong to humanity anyway. As long as you preserve the special plane I left you, you'll be safe. When danger comes, hide within it. In the future, we'll meet again."

Even as he said it, Daniel's thoughts darkened for a brief moment.

Because in the future he came from — he had never seen these familiar faces.

He could only hope they had survived, hidden away within that secret world he'd created… and not fallen to some unseen calamity.

After arranging everything, Daniel's figure shimmered and vanished, reappearing on a distant oasis.

There, waiting amid the gentle glow of temporal energy, stood Kartora.

When she saw him, her lips curved into a graceful, knowing smile.

"You've come, Lord Crossbridge."

Daniel nodded slightly and walked to her side. "So… it's time to go?"

Kartora's eyes sparkled. "Yes. And this time," she said softly, slipping her arm around his, "our journey won't stop halfway."

Daniel chuckled lightly. "Alright."

His Eye of Insight flickered briefly, reading the aura that flowed from her body.

Kartora had completed another advancement of her own.

Her energy signature burned brighter, more refined — the power of a being who had just finished another divine ritual.

Each of her advancements made the process of opening portals far smoother.

Every test, every success, honed her mastery of time and space itself.

She smiled, her tone light but brimming with quiet excitement.

"If there's nothing else holding you here, shall we depart?"

"Lord Crossbridge, is there anything you've left undone?"

Daniel didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he closed his eyes and entered Mental Deduction, letting his mind whirl through countless probabilities and reflections.

When he finally reopened his eyes, his expression was calm.

"Kartora," he said suddenly, "do you know what a 'save point' is?"

Kartora blinked, taken aback. Then her expression softened with realization.

"I think I remember you mentioning that once," she said. "It's from those games of your era, isn't it?"

Daniel smiled faintly.

He hadn't meant the phrase literally — after all, the games of the Land of Origin were primitive, nothing compared to what he remembered from his previous world.

But the concept itself still existed.

A moment frozen in time — a checkpoint before facing the unknown.

That was what he meant.

He turned his gaze toward the horizon and murmured, almost to himself, "You know, Kartora… doesn't it feel like we're just players in a game? Like we're about to face the final boss."

He smiled, a trace of nostalgia in his voice.

"Only once we've prepared everything can we challenge it properly."

Then his eyes turned to her, sharp yet gentle. "I'm ready. But what about you, Kartora? Are you?"

Kartora laughed softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Me?" she said. "If you're by my side, I don't need to prepare anything at all."

Without warning, she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around him.

"If I'm ever in danger," she murmured, "you'll protect me… won't you, Lord Crossbridge?"

Daniel froze for half a second, the warmth of her body against him catching him off guard.

For just an instant, he let himself feel it — the quiet human softness beneath all the divine storms.

But only for a moment.

Because the next, Kartora's form shimmered with light, and she stepped gracefully into the portal, vanishing beyond the threshold of worlds.

Daniel's expression steadied.

Then, after a brief pause, he followed her into the unknown.

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