Below the Shambhala Cave, in the underground space.
"No... That's not right... How is this possible... I... I... Didn't I survive with the help of the Queen!?"
“You….! You!”
"Innocent."
The real Imotna, the old man's face clinging to the rock wall, now had a ferocious expression, and he roared with a bit of disbelief.
And at the center of his eyebrows, a strange red light was flashing continuously.
The voice that came out from it was Aurora's!
"Do you really think that a mere mortal queen can stop my will?"
“From the very beginning.”
"I am the one who kept you here!"
"Just for today!"
Boom!
A red light burst out instantly, completely corroding the old man's face. The entire face fell off the rock wall, and then completely collapsed. The scattered rocks reassembled and finally formed a female figure composed entirely of rocks, which looked like a dilapidated stone doll.
"... It was just a precaution, but it really came in handy. I almost... I almost died."
"Could it be that... you predicted my ending in advance?"
"well enough."
In the shadows, another ray of light suddenly appeared. No human figure was seen, only a golden ball of light, and a deep voice came out from the ball of light.
"It's not a prediction, it's just a simple guess. Ouroboros' power is not that easy to use. Although with the help of the Ouroboros's power of circulation, you can enjoy enough sacrifices and get a chance to be resurrected, but you will naturally have to bear the corresponding risks."
"You mean... I was discovered?"
"What else?"
The voice in the light ball was somewhat sarcastic: "Why do you think those outsiders happened to come to Shambhala? It was nothing more than an arrangement by the system."
"And this place is the territory of Ouroboros."
"There is no other explanation except that you were discovered by him. I had deliberately used someone else's hand to seal Shambhala with a barrier, but it was still discovered. It was really a mistake."
"What do we do now?"
"My resuscitation has completely failed. I am left with only a body of mud. Everything is ruined!"
Aurora's tone seemed a little excited, and it was obvious that she was not as calm as she looked.
"No problem."
The voice in the light ball was very calm: "Although you failed this time, at least you are completely awake and no longer the same as before."
"With this foundation, you have hope of returning to your peak even without Ouroboros' power."
“… ..How?”
"Just go to our territory. There will be people to help you there. You are not the first one. Once the public beta begins, the battle between us and the new gods will begin again. For that day to come, we will do our best to fight for every one of our compatriots like you."
"Games... ..I understand."
"Very good, then follow me."
As soon as he finished speaking, the ball of light suddenly expanded and completely swallowed up Aurora, who was left with only a body of mud.
... ... ... ... ... ...
My name is Lauren.
He didn't come from a good family, nor did he have much strength, and he was not considered smart among his peers. He was just an insignificant ordinary person in the city of Shambhala.
But on that day, everything changed.
That was a very, very, very beautiful woman.
Even as beautiful as the Queen.
She stood in front of herself, who had forced herself to work with those strong tribesmen and was almost fainted from exhaustion, and said in a heavenly voice:
"You look like you're having a hard time."
“… … ..”
I ignored her, not because I didn't want to, but at that time I didn't even realize she was talking to me.
After all, I am so ordinary.
There was no way someone like her was talking to herself.
However... .
"I can help you."
Pedestrians walked by one by one, but she ignored them. Her beautiful face was always facing me, and her eyes were always on me.
"... .help me?"
"yes."
She seemed to smile, as if she was happy that I finally spoke to her.
"Would you like me to help you?"
"If it were me, I would make you the most prominent person in Shambhala. Everyone would always be watching you, but in return, you would also work for Shambhala all your life. That might be even harder than your current life. You might be in a lot of pain then."
"A high position... a life of hard work... a hard life..."
I didn't hesitate.
"It doesn't matter!"
I am not greedy. In fact, I have never been bullied. Although I am not as good as my peers in many things, I am still taken care of by many people. I love this city deeply, but I just can't accept it...I feel that I am not worthy of the care and concern of so many people.
I want to be more useful.
I want to be more successful.
I want everyone to be able to say to me with a smile: "It turns out that I was right about the person I chose."
“I don’t need status.”
"If you can make me smarter and stronger, I will fight for my own position!"
For some reason, I made a request to her.
"Really?"
"That's fine, it's just a difference of..."
She seemed to whisper something but I couldn't hear it clearly, but finally she reached out and touched my head, and then cupped my cheek with her flawless hands.
"Pray to me."
"... .pray?"
"Yes, pray to me, and I will fulfill your wish. From now on, you will have a position above all others and the ability to match it, but your entire life will be devoted to Shambhala. You will suffer, you will be confused, and you will waste your life..."
"... Are you willing to do this even if it's like this? Won't you regret it?"
Pain, confusion, a wasted life... Is this what those big shots have to pay
It doesn't matter!
I don’t mind these things if it is for the Shambhala that I love so much!
So... .
... ..I made the promise that I regret most in my life.
"I do!"
"... .good!"
Her voice suddenly became higher, with an unprecedented joy, and her tone and wording also changed subtly. The temperament that had intoxicated my heart and soul before gradually dissipated, and was replaced by a breathtaking majesty and solemnity.
"Son of man, I have heard your wish!"
"Your wish will come true!"
"That's right."
"... But how to achieve it is another matter."
Next second.
My consciousness fell into darkness.
... ... ... ... ...
"Ah, ahhh. Aaaaaaah!!!!"
"Okay, okay."
"Good boy... Relax..."
Imotna, or rather Loren, let out a scream the moment he came to his senses and struggled to get up, but before that, a small hand with slightly rough skin pressed down on his head and pushed him back down.
"You... .! Granny? No! Aurora... that woman... that... .!"
"It's all over."
"... .What!? What are you talking about? Leave me alone... .Shambhala... .!"
"It's all over!" Granny interrupted Lauren's narration with stronger words, and then forced him to turn around and look around.
"If you don't believe me, just look."
“… … ..”
Loren stared at everything in front of him in amazement. At this moment, he was resting his head on Granny's thighs. The two of them were standing on the wall of Shambhala. At a glance, he could clearly see the scene of Shambhala at this time, but the devastated appearance almost broke Loren's heart.
"Shambhala... Shambhala... No, no no... It's me, it's all me...!"
"Not you."
"I... ."
"Don't you see? Over there is Aurora's body."
"... What!?"
In an instant, a gleam of hope appeared in Lauren's eyes. He immediately looked in the direction where Granny pointed. Lower down the hill where the palace was located, with his superhuman vision, he saw a mass of rotten flesh and a statue of a goddess with only half of her body left.
That is... ..
"The mercy of the goddess?"
"That's right."
"She's dead?"
"Dead."
Luo Lun did not reply, but just watched quietly: "... ... ... "
He was suddenly confused.
Everything happened too fast. His memory had just revived, he had just remembered what had happened, his hatred had just ignited like an endless fire, but he was told that the target of his revenge was dead. For a moment, Loren felt at a loss, not knowing what to do... .
"Hey, handsome boy."
"... ..?"
At Granny's call, Lauren turned his head and looked at the other person. Because he had been resting his head on Granny's thighs, his gaze met that of Granny, who had been looking down at him.
"Come with me."
"... .What?"
"I've taken a liking to you. I recognized you when I first came to Shambhala, Adventure King Loren. Now that Shambhala has been destroyed, you should come with me."
"Adventure King... ah."
It was not until then that Loren realized that he also had the title of Adventure King in the outside world.
But....so what
"Shambhala has been destroyed."
"wrong."
Granny interrupted Lauren's almost desperate muttering: "Shambhala has not been destroyed yet."
"What are you talking about? Don't you see? Shambhala..."
"Aren't you still here?"
“… ..!!!”
"You are the last Shambhala. You are still alive. You have hands and feet. You can rebuild your house and find new land. You are a man. You will have children in the future. Your children can also find spouses. Over time, the Shambhala people will reappear on this land."
"In that case."
"What makes you say Shambhala is destroyed?"
"I... .."
Lauren stared blankly at Granny, whose cheeks were slightly red, while the latter smiled and said:
"Me what me."
"You will have a lot of work ahead of you. Rebuilding Shambhala will be very hard work."
"Are you ready?"
“… … ..”
At this moment, Laurent seemed to have returned to that day countless years ago, when he made a wish to the goddess, pinned everything on the goddess, and made the biggest mistake of his life.
And this time.
"... .I see."
Stop pinning your hopes on others.
Rebuilding Shambhala.
With your own hands....!
"you're right."
"Shambhala has not perished. As long as I am alive, Shambhala will not perish...!"
"That's right."
Granny smiled and patted Roland's shoulder, then casually brought up a topic: "By the way, what about your illegitimate child in the outside world? You know, it's the guy who asked us to come to Shambhala, who called himself Roland..."
"I don't remember the legendary adventure king having any romantic history in the kingdom."
"Who is it with?"
"I'm not questioning you! I'm just a little curious..."
Granny spoke carefully while secretly looking at Lauren, and after hearing her question... .
... ..but he showed a look of astonishment.
Then he gave an answer that made Granny's pupils shrink.
"Illegitimate child? I don't have any illegitimate child at all."
"And I didn't know you would come to Shambhala..."
"... ..what are you talking about?"