CHAPTER 1292: CHAPTER 319: 186 YEARS IN THE FUTURE

One hundred eighty-six years.

This length of time is neither long nor short.

A full nine generations... it’s enough for a dynasty to rise and fall, but perhaps not enough to make the Mist Continent unrecognizable.

...However, reality seems somewhat different from what Annan imagined.

The pace of progress in this world far exceeds Annan’s expectations.

If this land hasn’t changed its name, then the location Annan stands upon now should be called the "Holy Mountain Duchy," under the jurisdiction of the Empire. Its ruler should be the descendants of Annan and Kafney.

But what unfolds before Annan’s eyes is an awe-inspiring spectacle, stark enough to silence him—

A towering steel metropolis stretching into the clouds, resembling a colossal Holy Grail.

Once, the Holy Nation resembled a tree of rock layers—massive, weighty stone pillars rising from the grasslands to construct a city in the "heavens," far from the ground. While enhanced by Divine Arts and rituals, the stone was still visible.

It was a fantastical city filled with "wonder."

But now—

The previous "stone pillars" are encased on their outer layers by spiraling, fiber-optic-like twisted vertical elevators. Resembling conduits, countless streams of light rush up and down within them.

The Holy Nation, originally just its top layer, has been expanded vertically by at least threefold and horizontally divided into over a hundred levels. Each level is populated, bustling with crowds—it resembled an enormous office complex.

——And now it’s already nighttime.

Yet multicolored neon lights illuminate every level of the Holy Nation. People chatter noisily and busily.

The sky pours down rain no different from when Annan once left—a torrential downpour. The rain passes through Annan’s body, making him flicker erratically like a faulty projection.

At the very top level of the Holy Nation, however, thin, luminous barriers resembling ceilings shimmer with a kaleidoscope of hues, shielding most of the rain.

These rainwaters are gathered and released like waterfalls in designated areas, creating a spectacular sight within the cityscape.

Pedestrians on the uppermost level wear expensive, futuristically designed formal wear, weaving through intricately crafted layers of barriers. They seem urgent and hurried.

Sleek, race car-like transportation vehicles are everywhere.

Annan even spots riders wearing neon-style helmets, driving motorcycles that skim over the rain-shielding barriers.

The motorcycles produce no deafening roar; instead, they leave trails of vibrant light in their wake. Ahead of each bike, a curved light screen forms to shield them from air resistance and rainfall, emitting a whizzing sound as they speed ahead.

Judging by the calm demeanor of people below, Annan quickly deduces that these riders are likely akin to police or patrol units.

"...Hmm?"

Hovering in the air, Annan suddenly sees a somewhat familiar sight.

So, Annan slowly descends.

Passing through the rain-blocking barrier triggers no reaction, as if Annan is nothing but a phantom from the past.

He floats about a meter above the ground, looking up at a colossal building whose shape and colors resemble the crystalline complexity of bismuth—chaotic yet strangely orderly.

Emblazoned upon it is a clearly visible line of text:

[Hornheim Pharmaceutical Group]

Before the company’s name, a projected emblem appears, likely its trademark.

And that emblem is none other than the necklace Salvatore once gifted Annan—a red ruby shaped like a flattened hexagonal prism, resembling a medicinal oil vial, housing a piece of the Philosopher’s Stone.

Back when Annan advanced to the Truth Rank or even the Gold rank, this artifact was Annan’s most reliable trump card.

But even amidst Annan’s most perilous moments, he never chose to use it. Partly because Annan had always been a hoarder who disliked consuming valuable resources, and partly because manufacturing such a Philosopher’s Stone was burdensome for his senior.

...Though the Philosopher’s Stone now holds no practical significance for Annan, he still carries it with him. It serves as a testament to his friendship with Salvatore and also as Annan’s lucky charm.

——As for the "Vatore Ritual Gift," that was proof of Annan’s bond with his senior sister Vatore.

The familiar emblem Annan noticed earlier in the sky turns out to be this very trademark.

"Hornheim, that kid..."

Annan’s expression grows complicated. "Has he turned into such a prominent figure?"

"I wonder if he’s still alive..."

Feng Hohenheim... also known as Paracelsus, was Salvatore’s only pupil and a direct disciple.

Salvatore brought him out of the Heath Tower of Black when he was just ten years old. Shortly after that, the Heath Tower of Black fell... consumed by flames.

Hohenheim was the only surviving student of the Heath Tower who hadn’t graduated. In a sense, he represented the old Black Tower—subsequent Wizards were all recruits from the rebuilding phase, the "new generation."

"...Hmm?"

At this moment, a puzzled voice belonging to a girl rings out.

Annan shifts his gaze in that direction.

It is a female centaur wearing clothing.

She appears to be about sixteen or seventeen in human years, and her horse body is relatively petite. With silver-white hair tied into a ponytail, she could be described as a twin-tailed maiden.

As she passes Annan, she seems to sense something. But her eyes immediately shift into a pure-white, void-like future sight—a clairvoyant’s gaze—that reveals nothing. Ultimately, she tilts her head in confusion and walks toward the Hornheim Pharmaceutical Group’s entrance.

She doesn’t linger and is scanned entirely as she strides down the corridor.

"Good evening, Manager Amabelle."

A synthetic female voice echoes at the entrance.

So centaurs can now work within human society?

But it’s already nighttime... what’s her purpose in coming to the company?

Feeling stirred, Annan floats along to follow her inside.

Currently, Annan has no clue where The Worm might be, nor any leads on how to locate it... Based on their previous discussions, The Worm’s mere existence would induce chaos, regression, and despair in its surroundings.

But from Annan’s perspective, the Holy Nation looks far too prosperous.

Rather than The Worm lurking nearby, it feels more like an optimistic entity is overlooking everything.

If he has no immediate idea how to find The Worm, he might as well complete the ritual... and obtain Kornunos.

Before Lirjaya from "Clear Tune" comes to visit, it’s worth exploring the changes this world has undergone.

Annan doesn’t even know what the Hornheim company is currently trading in.

Nor does he know whether they’ve embarrassed their ancestor Benjamin... Though they probably haven’t; after all, Benjamin possessed the qualifications to ascend to godhood. By now, he’s most likely become a god.

The only issue is that Annan cannot find Benjamin’s divine statue anywhere.

The Holy Nation originally had seven colossal divine statues standing tall. Beneath each divine statue were smaller secondary statues, and in certain locations were even smaller "False God" statues—though even False God statues stood at least three or four meters high, excluding their plinths. From anywhere in the city, one could discern the positions of the statues.

But now... Annan can’t locate a single statue. The kingdom has undergone such a massive overhaul that he can’t discern where the original statues once stood.

...Surely they couldn’t have demolished them?