Listen while reading: Betting on Both Swords

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The only solution I came up with was combining all my transformation abilities with my own armored pieces, including my own demons turned into armor, and… quite literally, becoming the weapon myself.

And it worked wonders.

By amassing all the power I possessed within a single strike as a weapon, I was able to pierce through the Demon King’s defenses and then reach his chest, where most of his cores were stored.

Not only did I pierce through it, destabilizing its internal structure, but I also pierced through its powerful soul, shattering it into countless tiny pieces.

At the same time, the Constellations connected to him also received tremendous damage, screaming and wailing in agony before the Demon King’s entire body was to explode into ashes.

BOOOMMM!!!

[The Cosmic Throne {Mechanical Librarian}’s Cosmic Soul has been greatly damaged; they have fallen into a deep slumber.]

[The Cosmic Throne {Mother of Artificial Life}’s Cosmic Soul has been greatly damaged; they have fallen into a deep slumber.]

[The Constellations in charge of the {Apocalypse} have retreated from the {Apex Murim Worldline: Bestia}!]

[Congratulations to all participants! The {Apex Murim Worldline: Bestia} has emerged victorious against the {Apocalypse}!]

[Your World has been freed from the constraints of Fate, and it is now free to enter the {Cosmic Battlefield} to have a chance of being assimilated by the {Greater Beyond}!]

[Upon a certain amount of time, if no decision has been made and no Constellation to take ownership of the World has appeared, the world might either undergo a second {Apocalypse} or take part in invading another world through a {Reverse Apocalypse} event!]

“These messages…”

As I finally felt like I could relax, I saw those strange, bizarre messages.

I bet this is what my masters saw once they finally fended off the avatars of these Constellations, huh?

So this is what truly happens.

They can either enter the Cosmic Battlefield, where Worlds fight directly against one another in consecutive battles led by champions.

Or they can allow one of their members to ascend into a Constellation who will take ownership of the world.

And well, there’s also the third possibility where another Apocalypse can happen anyways at a much later date, perhaps thousands of years.

Or they can proactively participate as Invaders in {Reverse Apocalypse} events, where they invade other worlds to gain Causality and keep their status as a “Free World”.

So at the end, this endless cycle…

There’s never a way to actually be freed from it, and even if they get to the Greater Beyond, there’s a whole other dimension of fights in there.

Anybody that has reached this far, perhaps even the constellations themselves, would consider this a pointless battle.

An endless fight with no end.

Yet…

I saw the ending.

Even though it was a flawed ending, one where my brother sacrificed everything.

I can make it a better ending. A good ending.

Or so… I selfishly think.

But can I really do it?

Can I… change it?

These overwhelmingly huge obstacles, can I tackle through them and achieve it?

[The {Seamless Abyss} is watching you.]

[There is hope in his endless eyes.]

…

“Huh?”

What?

What did I read?

Um…

It said hope.

It didn’t say some abstract thing.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

This Void Ruler, it has hope for me?

What?!

That… doesn’t make any sense.

Void Rulers can’t just…

Or can they?

Who is the Seamless Abyss?

Among the many Void Rulers that eventually perished.

He was one of the most mysterious, never appearing aside from a few phrases.

Why did it suddenly begin to cheer for me and help me?

I…

Okay, let’s calm down for now, one thing at a time.

[The {Seamless Abyss} glances at your soul…]

[Their endlessly multiplying, dissolving bodies spread across the dark cosmos.]

“Okay, you’re creepy, never mind.” I laughed.

“D-Did that finish it?”

Song slowly opened his eyes, realizing I had turned back to normal and that the only thing left of that Demon King were ashes.

“Yep! That should have done it,” I nodded. “With this, not only the Demon King is taken care of, but also the two Constellations! Nice! We did it!”

“R-Really? Mama and papa… Are they ok?!” wondered Song, suddenly flying off my back.

“Eh?! Song, wait!”

I quickly chased him across the skies, as I saw him dexterously flying with his single wing and his secondary wing made out of his aura.

For having just gotten these powers, I had to admit he could control them really well!

I followed him until we finally met with the rest of my party.

My friends were there, alongside my familiars. Even the golden lion and the black wolf primordial beasts had helped quite a lot.

They were still developing and relearning their original powers after I sponsored them, but they had used them to protect everyone and also open the way for them to break through tens of thousands of machines.

“Song!”

The Heavenly Empress, upon seeing her son coming to her, flew towards him and quickly caught him in a tight, warm, and motherly hug.

“Mamaaaa!”

Song started crying over his mother’s shoulders, having missed her quite a lot. I could completely understand his current emotions right now; the boy was very happy.

“My son!”

The Heavenly Demon also came flying, hugging him as well.

The family was together, hugging each other, in front of the whole world now.

The rest of the immortals were there too, watching in silence after everything finally ended.

“I’m so happy you’re okay! What happened to you?” His mother cried, hugging Song and gently rubbing her beak on his; maybe that was a kiss for the bird people.

“A lot happened…” cried Song. “The evil constellations tried to feed me a demon and I almost ate it… I’m sorry, this is all my fault! If it wasn’t for Big sis Anna, I would have… turned into a monster or something! Buuuaaahhh!”

“W-What?!” The heavenly demon muttered, furious. “Those bastards…! They targeted our son?! T-This is…”

“Calm down, master,” I said. “They’re gone now; perhaps forever.”

“Anna…” he muttered. “Right… I suppose so. Hahh… Thank you.”

He thanked me?!

“Thank you for saving our son, and for… for stopping him from becoming that,” he muttered.

“You did the final blow too; that was incredible!” said the heavenly empress.

“You’re probably at our same level now, a third venerable,” laughed the heavenly demon.

“N-Nah, I don’t think so…” I muttered. “But I’m glad I could help somehow… it was either that, or we all would have had to go through an endless battle of attrition, where they would eventually win.”

“That’s true…” nodded the heavenly empress. “Nonetheless, thank you so much.”

She hugged me tightly.

“For everything, Anna… Thank you for saving my son; thank you for protecting this world alongside us… To you, and your friends as well! Thank you; from the bottom of my heart, I am eternally grateful.”

“I-It’s nothing, ma’am!” Yin Sheng muttered, blushing.

“W-We did what we had to do, master!” Wai Tian nodded.

“I-I… I’m glad I could help,” Zero One smiled faintly.

“It is an honor to have fought alongside a beacon of hope such as you, heavenly empress,” Fang Shuan said proudly.

“I-I… Uuh, well, no problem?” Sara was confused, but just went along for now.

Meanwhile, the immortals had already started murmuring around.

“Did you see that? That must be their son!”

“I can’t believe my eyes; it was true!”

“Their son, and hybrid of the two races…”

“A white crane and a black crow… how mysterious.”

“He lacks… a wing?”

“But his powers, they’re unparalleled! That simply doesn’t matter!”

“He is a Divine Child of Providence; the heavens bend to his will!”

I glanced at the Heavenly Empress and the heavenly demon.

“I think it’s time to show them your son and to tell Song that you will no longer put him in closed doors anymore,” I explained. “He almost became a monster, all because you neglected that part of being a parent. Because the heavenly demon wasn’t present enough time, because the heavenly empress was too overprotective, and because you never let the boy explore the world outside!”

As wise and ancient as they were, these two were very unexperienced in being parents, and well, I am nobody to talk to them about being a good parent either, but I am smart enough to notice at least these things.

I come from a society much more developed in terms of parenting, so I can give a more accurate analysis, that’s all. I’m not trying to say I would be better than them; if anything, I think they’re good parents. There is no parent that isn’t flawed; it is the nature of all people.

But as long as they try to be good parents… It’s fine, I believe.

“Yes… I suppose you’re not wrong,” the Heavenly Empress nodded.

“Mama…” Song muttered. “Will you introduce me to them? Are they the members of your heavenly court?”

“Yes, dear, they are,” she nodded. “My people! This is my son, Song Weisheng! As you can see, he hatched from an egg I laid several years ago. He’s still maturing, but he has recently reached ten years of age.”

“He is my son!” the Heavenly Demon roared. “You demons! You better learn who he is! Look him good! If you ever mess with him, you’re going to die! You heard me?!”

The contrast is so big…

But I guess Song doesn’t mind.

In fact, he’s very happy, his eyes shining brightly.

As the immortals discussed with one another, they suddenly bowed their heads.

The orthodox started, but the demonic cultivator followed.

“We greet the Auspicious Child of Providence.”

“We greet the one blessed by the Nine Heavens.”

“We greet the Prince of Heroes and Demons.”

“We greet the Bridge Between Heaven and Hell.”

“We greet the Heavenly Prince, Song Weisheng!”

They greeted; many of the orthodox were in tears, so happy to see such a beautiful, talented child; meanwhile, even the demonic cultivators smiled defiantly, looking forward to the new era that is coming.

“H-Hi!” Song smiled cutely, greeting them. “Um… L-Let’s get along?”

“UOOOHHHHH!”

The immortals screamed in unison, happy their little and adorable prince was so cute and friendly!

“Yes, let’s get along, Heavenly Prince!”

“Thank you for blessing us today with your smile!”

“We will dedicate our lives to your cause!”

“Please, let us show you the beautiful world you’ve protected!”

“Smile, prince! Please smile!”

It was a beautiful scene, both the orthodox and the demons, unified in their love for the child of providence; it was as if their inner parental instincts awakened.

Honestly, it was a bit hilarious too.

“I-I didn’t expect such a response…” The heavenly empress muttered.

“This is certainly something else! Hahahaha!” The heavenly demon laughed.

“Woow! I’m so popular!” Song smiled, giggling.

Yeah, I was fine with this ending.

A beautiful What If.

The time around us slowly began to stop; everything was frozen.

And then a figure appeared; it was the trial master, accompanied by someone else.

“Master?”

The Heavenly Empress, she was crying.

“Thank you, Anna… for giving me such a beautiful scene.”

“Hahah… Of course. Let’s make this a reality, shall we?”

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