CHAPTER 1290: CHAPTER 317 GREAT CALAMITY CURIO: KORNUNOS (TWO IN ONE)_2

——This was the first time Annan had seen the twelve True Gods gathered so neatly and quietly.

"Let me speak."

After a brief silence, Haoyun was the first to speak.

She smiled faintly at Annan, as though she wasn’t worried about the danger of his journey:

"First, let’s confirm, Annan. Your destination this time is one hundred and eighty-six years into the future.

"According to the anchoring of the Fourth Chronicle Theory, the Worm’s location is on the ’Holy Mountain.’ In other words, it is atop the high platform that is now the site of the ’Holy Nation’—this isn’t merely to avoid the Mist, but also to create a cage suitable for imprisoning the Worm."

"Of course, calling it a cage might be too flattering... A more accurate term would be a haven designed to make the Worm feel comfortable and secure so that it would voluntarily crawl in. This is why we can pinpoint and track its approximate location."

"So, the Worm is right here one hundred and eighty-six years in the future?"

Annan asked for confirmation.

Haoyun nodded affirmatively: "Yes, somewhere atop this high platform. The Worm also has properties of the Shadow of the Heavenly Chariot, making it difficult to pinpoint precisely... But such a level of great artifact distorts the surrounding world merely by existing."

"As the ’Towering Holy Mountain’ constructed by the Holy Nation conceptually separates the Holy Nation from the world below, and no direct influences of the Worm have appeared in other regions outside the Holy Nation, we can infer that the Worm has always been here, never leaving."

Haoyun paused before asking pointedly: "You understand what this implies, don’t you?"

"Obviously, it’s waiting for me as well—awaiting the ultimate final battle that determines everything."

Annan smiled faintly: "The Worm is, after all, ’another me.’ Its personality and behavior are too predictable. We are both people who dislike playing games with flamboyant philosophical concepts and prefer tackling core issues decisively."

"Indeed, which is why it sent you here."

Haoyun said with a knowing smile: "But rest assured, we are not sending you to your death."

"The ’Third Siren’ you know well might not be obtainable immediately. And besides, it is essentially the Worm’s domain—you’d be handing the Siren’s holder over to the Worm for equipping."

"That said, we won’t send you to face the Worm empty-handed either."

"You should remember, there are six Great Calamity Curios."

"I’ve only heard of five."

Annan replied: "The Mist Mirror, the Black Mammoni, the Third Siren, the Sixth Aspects Past Volume from the Fourth Chronicle... The Mist Mirror symbolizes the concept of ’one,’ embodying the light of the ’First Radiance’; the Black Mammoni inherently represents the dichotomy of ’two,’ dividing man from the cosmos, light from darkness, wisdom from ignorance."

"Based on the definitions of inner three and outer three numbers, one representing ’five’ is missing—though curiously, its name doesn’t include ’five’."

"That’s correct."

Haoyun nodded: "That is, in theory, the Great Calamity Curio held by the Pope of Grandma’s Holy Nation. But its power cannot possibly be wielded by mere mortals... not even the Pope of Grandma."

She said this while exchanging a glance with the Bone-Tending Granny opposite her, then looking towards the man behind her—a middle-aged figure with black-rimmed glasses, a serious demeanor, and spiky hair. Well-dressed but utterly unremarkable otherwise, he looked like a typical middle-aged man.

Haoyun continued: "Its true name is ’Kornunos.’

"Externally, it takes the form of an extremely long white serpent forming an inverted pentagram. The five points of the star represent a male goat, a male sheep, a male bull, a male stag, and a male human, symbolizing death, harvest, rebirth, procreation, and hunting—five aspects of masculine strength."

"Its essence, however... is a white serpent that consumed the remains of Bone-Tending Granny’s eldest son and yet did not perish, instead growing five dragon horns."

Bone-Tending Granny’s unborn and deceased eldest son was the elder brother of Flint Father and the Grandmother—a pure dragon, a beast without scales and sin.

"Though the white serpent didn’t die, its will was purified by the extreme purity force within the remains, transforming it into a phenomenon. Later, it was sealed by the Goddess of Purity’s chariot, becoming the ’Five-Horned Snake’ Kornunos."

"Because the Charioteer is female, Kornunos, possessing the same level of purity, automatically became a counterpart Dual Aspect with her, embodying an extreme concept of ’masculinity.’ Furthermore, being buried underground long-term allowed it to interact with Bone-Tending Granny, acquiring five animal traits linked to masculinity and the earth."

"To use Kornunos’s power, one must possess a purity of heart equal to the Charioteer. On that foundation, if a woman wields Kornunos, it becomes the most healing Great Calamity Curio, capable even of resurrecting the dead; if wielded by a man, it becomes the most offensive curio—a weapon of unparalleled sharpness."

"We concealed it within a ritual."

Flint Father interjected: "When you travel to the future, simply recognize or hear any of the five names familiar to you in this era..."

"Like Dmitry, Maria, or Kafney. Anyone works."

Silver Baron added: "If you hear these names mentioned by others or see records of them... you will obtain ’Kornunos.’"

"Wait," Annan realized something, "can’t I just find a random passerby and have them read these names to me?"

"Of course not."

This time Mr. Radiance spoke.

With a stern expression, he said: "The moment you appear physically, the Worm will notice you. You must hide yourself within the folds of time...

"While using the Sixth Aspects Past Volume to travel to the future, as long as you don’t interfere with future events, you will remain nothing more than a shadow existing in a time crevice. However, once you speak your first word, attack your first target, or destroy your first object, you will immediately fall out of the crevice and be exposed to the Worm."

"To be safe, you must already possess ’Kornunos’ when that moment arrives, ensuring you can confidently face the Worm. Otherwise, once the Worm appears, your chance to achieve that goal will almost vanish."

"So, essentially..."

Annan repeated: "I will act as an observer. Until I complete my task—until I hear five familiar names in the future?"

"I’ve left ’Clear Tune’ to assist you."

Yawen was the one speaking this time.

As he rolled up the conference scroll, he replied calmly: "This is why I did not reseal Lyricia’s Song in the Third Siren.

"The Siren transcends the objects of the First Chronicle, and Clear Tune has the ability to read minds. Even if you hide within the folds of time, Clear Tune can communicate with you... It’s the only aid we can provide."

"To prevent the Worm from perceiving this plan, once you leave, we will make ourselves forget it entirely—using the Fourth Chronicle Theory to erase this meeting from history. In other words... none of us will know when, where, or in which month you will land."

"Only by deceiving our own side can we deceive the Worm."

"After today, none of us will know your trump card. Naturally, we won’t be able to reach you to help. Until you reappear in the world, everyone who knew will have forgotten all connections between you and the Worm, and no one will know your disappearance was part of a plan to confront the Worm... thus eliminating the risk of compromising the plan."

"Everything will remain this way until you leave the crevices of time. Once we recall your connection to the Worm, we will undoubtedly rush to assist you at the earliest opportunity... As long as you lure the Worm out and contain it, we can strike."

"However, that resurgence of knowledge will cause the Worm’s power to surge rapidly. Since none of us understands the Worm, whether you opt for swift confrontation or await our reinforcements... the decision will rest entirely on your judgment."

"Everything rests in your hands now, Annan."

"Leave it to me."

Annan said solemnly: "I will not fail, nor will I ever surrender."

"But if I die in the future... all of you must leave this polluted world immediately. Take me as your banner—do not lose hope, continue onward. In another future, defeat the Worm."

"Human lives may end, but the spirit is everlasting."