【Aglaea arrived at the Garden of Life, spotting Trinnon from afar as she gazed toward the distant Kephale.】

【"...Trinnon? It seems she is already preparing for the defense of Okhema." Aglaea stepped forward to exchange intelligence with her, "The threats within the city have been eliminated; I have purged the filth one by one."】

【"Thank you, Aglaia. That Senator... did she cause you trouble again?"】

【"It was no great matter. No need to worry for me, Master."】

【"You should know, Caenis... during the Golden War, she was..."】

【Aglaea took the initiative to finish her sentence: "...She was an assassin specializing in 'purging' the Chrysos Heirs. I understand. As I said, the The Senate is not our enemy... at least not for now. Let us return to the pressing issues at hand."】

【"...Yes. We have made preparations to deal with Nicadori." Trinnon lowered her head, her voice sounding somewhat muffled, "It hasn't been easy... Trianne is nearing her limit."】

【"How much power does she have left?"】

【"Counting this time... she might be able to open the Gate of a Hundred Worlds three... no, two more times."】

【Aglaea's brow furrowed: "...And after that?"】

【"According to our previous agreement, Tribbie will take over the duties of the Gatekeeper."】

【Aglaea closed her eyes, her long lashes trembling almost imperceptibly as she let out a deep sigh: "It seems all we can do now is wait."】

——

Shinigami.

"So the cost of using the Gate of a Hundred Worlds is that high?"

This was beyond Yoruichi's expectations. She had assumed the "Gate of a Hundred Worlds" was a power of the Gatekeeper Nautilus and could be used without limit. But on second thought, if this "Gatekeeper" power truly had unlimited uses, Phainon and Tribbie wouldn't have needed to wait for the Earthbeast when they first met.

"Perhaps this is what it means to be a 'demigod.' Rather than being 'gods,' they are still unable to escape the shackles of humanity." Urahara opened his paper fan, leisurely waving it in front of his chest. "Perhaps all demigods have a day when they will eventually pass away. It remains to be seen if these two demigods can endure until the birth of the next one."

"Trianne's power is nearly exhausted. How much longer can Aglaea hold out?"

Compared to Trianne, Yoruichi was more concerned about Aglaea's state. After all, the "Gatekeeper" power was split into three, but the "Romance" Nautilus was not. If Aglaea's power was exhausted, Tribbie alone would not be able to handle the overall situation.

As the former Commander-in-Chief of the Stealth Force and former Captain of the Gotei 13's Second Division, Yoruichi's previous position was very similar to Caenis's, specializing in assassinations and secret executions. Looking at the conflict between the The Senate and the Chrysos Heirs, perhaps there was no need to wait for Aglaea to exhaust her divine power; as soon as her strength weakened slightly, Caenis would likely choose to initiate a "purge" to erase this demigod from Okhema.

Yoruichi had done plenty of such things in the past, which was exactly why she seemed more anxious. These people responsible for "purging" might not be a match for a "demigod," but they were always a thorn that could pierce the chest of the Chrysos Heirs at any moment. Even if Aglaea didn't plan to act, she couldn't leave this group of troublemakers for Phainon, could she?

Phainon... he likely wasn't the type who could harden his heart to strike down his fellow humans.

If possible, Yoruichi really hoped Aglaea's last joke to Tribbie was more than just a simple "joke."

——

【Trinnon looked up toward the distant Kephale: "Yes. Let us wait a moment in this garden, Aglaia."】

【"Please tell me, Master... in the world as you see it, is the prophecy still as clear as it was on the first day?"】

【Trinnon nodded: "Golden runes flicker in the azure sky, and countless fragments of words dance around Kephale. The oracle is as clear as ever."】

【"Does it speak of the victory of Phainon's group?"】

【"It... remains silent." Trinnon shook her head, "It seems to know the answer... yet does not wish to share it with us at this moment."】

【"It seems this time, we cannot find solace from the mouth of the oracle." Aglaea quietly gazed at the distant mountains, "That is fine as well. If he truly is the child chosen by fate..."】

【"...Then the prophecy is but the narration of his story."】

【...】

【Meanwhile, on the other side.】

【Even on the outskirts of the Suspended Blade City, Xing and Castorice could hear the earth-shaking roars of the Titan of Strife coming from the inner city.】

【"I really want to go and support them directly..."】

【Castorice: "I understand, Your Excellency... but for now, we must rush to another battlefield."】

【"Here, Remembrance, complete. Give me, fragments. The past... by me, manifested."】

【Xing handed the three memory fragments collected earlier to Mimi. With its help, a door leading to the memories of the past was successfully opened. Xing walked inside and found a bright, clear day with a misty sky.】

【Unlike the ruins they had been in before, the Suspended Blade City in the memory was quite bustling—so much so that even the dust danced with a sense of peace. People went about their business, and the Nautilus's retainers acted as guards holding greatswords—it was the first time Xing had seen these retainers being friendly with people.】

【"The Suspended Blade City..." Castorice looked around in wonder; clearly, she had never seen the city so lively before. "Before Aegle closed his eyes, it originally looked like this."】

【"Truly spectacular."】

【"The City of Warriors; its grandeur is well-deserved."】

——

Arcane.

"So this is the old Suspended Blade City, it was actually so prosperous..." Jayce looked at the ancient city with people coming and going on the Celestial Screen, finding it hard to associate the bustling city before him with the ruins where Mydei and Phainon had stayed previously.

"If Phainon, Mydei, and Xing succeed in subjugating Nicadori this time, will the people of the Suspended Blade City currently residing in Okhema be able to return? To recreate the scene in this memory?"

"Oh, child, of course they can't," Heimerdinger said bluntly. "The Suspended Blade City in this memory was quite martial and bellicose. Look—"

Heimerdinger raised his hand and pointed at the Celestial Screen. On the main thoroughfare of the Suspended Blade City, many young people wearing war helmets and carrying swords were coming and going.

"For a city-state that worships martial combat, it is a historical inevitability to gradually decline and perish. According to Mydei, the Suspended Blade City even considers 'dying on the battlefield' an honor. This is equivalent to taking a nation's most precious resources, its smartest minds, and its strongest young people, and throwing them all into the proposition of 'how to kill enemies more effectively'... it's simply madness."

"But aren't the citizens of the Suspended Blade City living perfectly well in Okhema now? I haven't seen them causing any trouble."

"Yes, so this also means the people of the Suspended Blade City have abandoned their original traditions, discarding certain characteristics rooted in their marrow—belligerence—for the sake of survival. It was the reason for their prosperity, and also the reason for their decline under the apocalypse."