Chapter 2154: Chapter 2154
Jenkins had already heard the Sage's oracle, but even if the Sage declared it didn't matter, people couldn't simply ignore who he was. As long as the world knew he was a god, the life he desired would be forever out of reach.
That was why Jenkins's plan was essential. Even if he ascended to godhood immediately after defeating the Difference Engine, he had no intention of leaving the material world. From what he knew, the transition between the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Epochs would be a long one. As for the newspaper he’d seen in his vision of the future, some of what was written on it was probably true.
The preparations for the ritual were quickly completed. The members of the Church all withdrew from the grounds of the abandoned hospital, partly to give Jenkins space, and partly to avoid him.
It wasn't out of any aversion to Jenkins. Rather, the Church's upper echelon, who knew the truth, had not yet decided how to treat him.
For the time being, Jenkins couldn't be bothered to dwell on the matter. After confirming that everyone else had retreated, he cradled his cat and spoke to Alexia.
"I’ve discussed the [Four Seasons] ability with you before. Using four plants to represent the seasons and activate the power had no effect. Mr. Siannod just now agreed that the problem lies with the symbols themselves."
The old elf beside them nodded, picking up where Jenkins left off.
"So, Jenkins needs entirely new symbols for the seasons to fully activate the ability. The selection of these symbols doesn't just depend on him; it will also influence the future evolutionary path of [Four Seasons]. Therefore, he must be the one to decide."
"So, you intend to use the Titan statue?"
"This is a unique situation. Otherwise, I would have preferred to search the Church's collection for numbered items related to the 'time of the seasons' to conduct a perfect ritual. But right now, this body of mine has changed. It was exposed to too much 'blood' in the Mysterious Realm, and as a result, it’s in a state of near 'dissolution.' This has its pros and cons. The downside is that I'm more susceptible to the power of the Scarlet Ephemera..."
Everyone present—Alexia, the old elf, the diviner, and the silver dragon—had enough knowledge about Calamity Beasts that Jenkins didn't need to hold back his explanation.
"The upside, however, is that my body is also far more malleable in this state."
"You want to use the power of blood? To use four different bloodlines as your symbols?"
Audrey understood at once.
"No, it’s not just about external symbols, but symbols of abilities as well. Jenkins possesses several blue heteromorphic abilities, and the one corresponding to the Titans is [Titan's Power]."
The old elf's thoughts ran deeper; of everyone present, he understood the true nature of [Four Seasons] the best.
"If that's the case, is Jenkins aiming for some kind of 'four-in-one' state? Using four heteromorphic symbols paired with four heteromorphic abilities to activate [Four Seasons], allowing his body to perfectly wield the powers of four potent species?"
Inspired by the elf, Brolignans also arrived at the same conclusion.
By now, the group had reached the foot of the Titan statue. Gazing up at the colossal figure looming in the darkness was a truly spectacular and soul-stirring sight.
"No, I think I know what Jenkins is trying to do."
Alexia pursed her lips, lost in thought. As expected, the petite woman was the one who understood Jenkins best.
"His body is less a hybrid of human and elf, and more a seedling of the world itself. The legendary World Tree is said to have birthed all living things. Even if the legends exaggerate, it is a fact that the World Tree is connected to the bloodlines of all creatures. What Jenkins intends to do is seize this moment, while his body is in its most uncertain, 'chaotic' state, and use four distinct bloodlines to activate [Four Seasons]. Then, he'll use the power of [Four Seasons] to nurture the World Tree within his soul, allowing his physical form to truly become the [World Tree]—a vessel linked to the bloodlines of all creation."
The silver dragon walking beside Jenkins wore a look of astonishment.
"If that’s his plan, it's truly remarkable. In theory, it could indeed nurture the growth of the World Tree."
Jenkins nodded, stroking his cat.
"This opportunity is incredibly rare. It's unlikely I'll ever be able to bring my body this close to a 'dissolved' state again without the power of this Mysterious Realm. Besides, I'll soon be facing the Scarlet Ephemera. Once I find a way to counteract its power to twist the bloodlines of all creatures, the mechanical ephemera itself isn't actually that powerful."
"I see now. If your body can become more like the World Tree, then as the source of all bloodlines, no matter how twisted you become, you will still fundamentally be the bloodline of all creation."
The old elf’s eyes widened in sudden realization.
"I never would have conceived of such an approach."
"After all, the very idea of a second World Tree appearing in this world is almost impossible,"
Brolignans remarked, her tone hinting at a deeper meaning. But before Jenkins could ponder it, she continued.
"But it is still a 'four-in-one.' In divination, there is a practice known as spiritual numerology, which interprets numbers in many ways. One school of thought holds that only the numbers 1, 2, and 3 have true meaning; all others are derivative."
"One is the origin and beginning of all things. Two typically represents the dualistic concepts that extend from one. And three is the complex, stable structure derived from that duality. Some believe that if you mention the number four within this framework, it refers to the myriad things derived from the spiritual numbers one, two, and three. Four-in-one, therefore, can be interpreted as 'myriad-in-one.'"
It was a rather academic explanation.
"Or, to put it another way, it's about deriving all things from the four, then unifying the concept of 'all things' within yourself, achieving a state of singularity."
The silver dragon added. While she often appeared flippant, her knowledge was genuine and profound.
"Indeed. A single leaf from the World Tree can be considered part of the tree, and four leaves are enough to represent the concept of the tree's 'multiplicity.'"
The elf offered, interpreting the significance from another angle.
"One begets two, two begets three, and three begets the ten thousand things. So, four is everything."
Jenkins agreed in a language none of them could understand, nodding as he spoke.
"That makes perfect sense. So that's how it is."
"What language was that?"
Alexia paused, confirming she hadn't understood a single word, and asked with curiosity.
"When all of this is over, I'll explain everything," Updates are released by novelFɪre.net
He answered with a smile, prompting Alexia to change the subject.
"So, which four bloodlines will you choose to represent the seasons? To stimulate the World Tree's growth, they must be both ancient and powerful."
Jenkins had already figured out how he would symbolize the seasons back when he left the Mysterious Realm and landed in the pool beneath the great tree of the Evergreen Forest. The answer was simple, practically on the tip of his tongue.
For the vibrant spring, he would choose his own elven lineage. He himself would be the symbol, and the corresponding ability would be [World Tree Seedling]. Only by involving the World Tree's power could he stimulate and nurture its essence.
For the tempestuous heat of summer, the ancient silver dragon bloodline. Anettasia could surely provide the symbol. And while Jenkins had no ability specifically for dragons, his [Uncrowned King] ability contained the power of a dragon.
For the decadent yet powerful autumn, the bloodline of the ancient Titans—faded, but still mighty. The symbol would be the very statue before them, and the corresponding ability, [Titan's Power].
Audrey asked, offering a suggestion of her own.
"What about the vampire race? Their near-undead nature could symbolize a winter of coexisting cruelty and death."
"No," Brolignans said, "he has a better choice."
Alexia nodded in agreement. Anettasia shot a surprised look at Alexia, but when she saw her nod, she didn't press the matter. It was then that the old elf understood what the three women were thinking. He glanced sideways at Jenkins, but Jenkins was simply staring at the Titan statue, his expression having become unreadable.
Chocolate shifted uneasily in Jenkins's arms, its tail flicking up to brush against his chin.
"If you're going to symbolize the seasons this way, it's better if you actually have a dragon's ability. The power within [Uncrowned King] likely won't be enough to sustain the ritual. Do you still have any empty ability slots?"
Anettasia said, breaking the strange atmosphere that had settled over them.
"Good. I'll give you the power now. The rest of you, turn around. I know you can perceive what’s happening even without looking, but this is a sacrifice I'm making to help Jenkins. So, for the honor of this sacrifice, you must not tell a soul what happens next."
The old elf had long suspected Anettasia was a dragon. After all, while dragons had vanished from the material world, they still existed in the Evergreen Forest. He was the first to turn away.
Brolignans and Alexia could perceive what was happening behind them even with their backs turned. Brolignans smiled faintly; she had long known Anettasia wasn't human, and this confirmed her suspicions. She turned away. Alexia, however, shot Jenkins a look that seemed to carry a silent threat.
Unfortunately for her, the petite woman had always been too serene and well-mannered to muster a truly fierce expression.
Audrey, who still hadn't grasped the situation, wanted to watch, but she was forcibly turned around by her teacher and friend.
A few seconds later, the four of them—including the old elf, who had covered his ears—heard a voice telling them they could turn back.
When they looked, Jenkins was still standing in the same spot, a faint blush on his cheeks. The barefoot, silver-haired girl, however, looked completely unconcerned, her eyes averted as if she had suddenly become fascinated by the surrounding fog.