Dan Heng and Stelle actually wanted to tell Aglaea that they also knew how to enter the Nether. After all, the method wasn't a secret; Fu Zhu had told many people.
However, entering the Nether required obsidian, which they didn't have. So, if they wanted to get in, their only option was to find the Nether Portal that Fu Zhu had built.
Therefore, a trip to Castrum Kremnos to meet Mydei was a must.
Dan Heng and Stelle exchanged a look, then gave Aglaea their reply.
"Alright, we have no objection to this matter."
"Thank you."
Aglaea expressed her gratitude, then continued to discuss the details of the upcoming expedition to Castrum Kremnos with the group.
Once all the details were settled, Aglaea dismissed everyone, preparing to set out the next day. This expedition would include not only the Chrysos Heirs and the duo from the Astral Express but also a contingent of Iron Golems and Okhema's soldiers. She still needed to prepare for the army's departure.
This involved not just provisions for the soldiers, but also iron ingots for repairing the Iron Golems. The total weight of these supplies was staggering, and she would have to arrange for enough Dromases to transport them.
The thought of all the arrangements required for the army's mobilization gave Aglaea a massive headache.
It was better when Nikador was around. She never had to consider any of this. All she had to do each day was weave clothes and fight. When did life become so complicated?
---o---
The next day, as the army was about to depart, and Dan Heng and Stelle were preparing to leave with them, Aglaea suddenly stopped them.
"Khaslana's treatment has shown initial results."
With this one sentence, the group that was about to set off for Castrum Kremnos had no choice but to follow Aglaea to the secret chamber where Khaslana was being kept.
Aglaea led the group into the secret chamber. As soon as they entered, they saw Khaslana, who had been lying in bed since the beginning, now sitting up, leaning against the headboard and cooperating with Anaxagoras's examination.
Hearing the footsteps behind him, Anaxagoras put down his instruments, turned to glance at the crowd, and then stepped aside.
"His mental state is relatively stable for now, but it's only temporary. If you have any questions, ask them quickly. He doesn't have much time."
Aglaea frowned at his words and retorted, "What do you mean, he doesn't have much time?"
"It's literal. It won't be long before the immense power within his body completely consumes him."
With that, Anaxagoras said no more and gave way to the group.
Everyone crowded around the bed. Phainon was the first to ask, "Are... are you really another me?"
Khaslana gave a cold "hmph." "To be precise, I am the you from 3,750,000 cycles ago."
Phainon was stunned, staring blankly at Khaslana. The amount of information in that one sentence was enormous, leaving him at a loss for words.
Khaslana's gaze swept over the various expressions of the crowd, and he began to speak of what he knew in a low voice.
"During the first cycle, Cyrene and I were preparing to use the final Coreflame to complete the Re-Creation when Lygus, the self-proclaimed 'audience of the divine ritual,' told us the truth of it all. Amphoreus is a virtual world he created. And I, Cyrene, and even all of you, are all factors he specifically created to achieve his goal. We follow the path he pre-designed, collecting Coreflames, submitting Coreflames, all for the sake of using us, using everything that happens in this world, as data and nutrients to feed a creature named The Irontomb. And we are the final batch of data to be fed. Once the Re-Creation is completed according to his design, The Irontomb will hatch, and everything will end."
As Khaslana spoke, he plunged his hand deep into the fissure on his chest, eliciting a collective gasp from the crowd.
But the expected sound of tearing flesh and blood never came. Instead, the sound of splintering deadwood reached their ears.
Dan Heng couldn't help but frown. Looking at Khaslana's action, he said softly, "Your body..."
A bitter smile touched Khaslana's lips as he began to pull his arm out from his chest.
"This is the price that must be paid to contain hundreds of millions of Coreflames."
Then, the crowd saw a searing sphere of light resting on the palm of the hand he pulled from his chest. A single glance was enough to sting their eyes.
Dan Heng used his control over water to coat his eyes with a thin film, which allowed him to barely make out the scene within the sphere of light. It was packed with minuscule Coreflames!
"This sphere is actually made from condensed Coreflames?!"
It was hard to imagine what kind of willpower Khaslana must have possessed to endure and support so many Coreflames with his own body until now.
Aside from Stelle, the surrounding Chrysos Heirs all turned deathly pale.
Aglaea took a deep breath and asked Khaslana, "You... or rather, the Phainons, how many cycles have you all been through in total?"
Khaslana closed his eyes and uttered a number that filled everyone present with despair.
"33,550,336."
This meant that they had already failed 33,550,336 times. Aglaea couldn't believe that in so many cycles, Khaslana wouldn't have tried to find a way to break the loop.
Evidently, cycling to the present, he had not found any way to break the pattern.
At that moment, Hyacine bit her lower lip, her right hand gripping her left arm tightly.
"Then... what has everyone been fighting for all this time...?"
The rest remained silent. All the Chrysos Heirs had been striving to collect the Coreflames according to the prophecy, all for the sake of saving the world.
But now, Khaslana had told them that this was all designed by someone, that it was all a lie.
Stelle watched the heavy expressions on everyone's faces, scratched her head, and leaned over to whisper to Dan Heng.
"Doesn't that mean we've also been through 33,550,336 cycles? That can't be right. With my big bro's temper, he wouldn't need that many cycles. He would've flipped the table by the third try at most. How could he possibly go through 33,550,336 cycles?"
Stelle's careless words instantly jolted Dan Heng and the others awake. They snapped their heads up to look at Khaslana, and Dan Heng asked urgently, "Khaslana, in all the cycles you've been through, did we ever appear?"
Khaslana shook his head.
"No. This is the first time you have appeared!"
Dan Heng and Stelle looked at each other and both broke into a smile.
Of course!
Stelle was even happier, wiping her nose and humming, "See, I told you so! Even if Dan Heng and I can't change the outcome, my big bro is here. He would never let himself get screwed over this many times!"
With just a few words, the previously dejected Chrysos Heirs instantly regained their spirits.
Phainon looked at Khaslana and said, "This time, our cycle should end."