Destiny—what is it, exactly?
Humanity walking from birth toward death is destiny.
Moving from prosperity to decay is destiny.
It seems ethereal, yet it often seems to be right beside us.
What kind of "thing" was the destiny in Aponia mouth to her?
"The Eighth Eruption will soon come to an end." Aponia did not deliberately maintain the silent atmosphere. She picked up a book from the corner and blew off the dust.
Lin noticed that this book was at the very bottom of the stack, meaning it was the first to be completed.
"This time, humanity will still win. Just like every time before, they will pay a price, defeat the enemy, and then move forward accompanied by the sorrow of loss."
"That is also destiny?"
"Yes, that too is an ordained destiny."
Lin lowered his head, looking at the hand reaching out from the darkness and the book within it.
Aponia curled her lips slightly: "This is… a return gift… for last time."
"…That wasn't me, so you don't need to give me a return gift." But Lin only raised his head, looking into Aponia eyes. "Let's make a bet."
"…A bet?"
"If I win, you can no longer give these books to others, regardless of whether they ask for them." Lin pushed the book back with a light touch, speaking as calmly as water. "If you win… make whatever demand you wish."
Aponia tilted her head in confusion. She couldn't quite understand what Lin was saying.
"You firmly believe that destiny cannot be changed? That humanity will continue to pay the price in the Eighth Eruption, Blanca will be sacrificed, and Griseo will become a MANTIS… this is the future you see."
"..."
"We will bet on whether the 'Destiny' you see can be changed. But in exchange, you must assist me."
Aponia smiled, though the meaning was unclear. she smiled at Lin without any concealment. In the dim light, she looked like the Mona Lisa—full of a sacred… yet dangerous aura.
"Any demand… is fine?"
…
"Ugh… Lin?"
Ato opened his eyelids groggily, seeing Lin sitting in the distance. His consciousness was somewhat disordered.
He remembered going to the Deep End with Lin, then meeting Aponia, and then…
He suddenly froze.
The memory was clear. He remembered every word Aponia had said.
But why had he left so "obediently"?
"..." Ato covered his forehead, his face dark and silent.
Could even a MANTIS not withstand Aponia ability? But if even Aponia could reach this level, then the Eighth Herrscher…
"Aponia has agreed."
"…What?"
Lin light words made Ato freeze for a moment before he looked up in sudden surprise at Lin, who was checking his weapons. "She… agreed? Didn't she say… Could it be, Lin, you…"
"Yeah, I paid the price with my body." Lin cocked the pistol with a clack.
"…You sold yourself?"
"Something like that."
Lin walked to the control console where Prometheus was operating and pulled up the surrounding footage. He twisted a knob on his helmet, lighting up the visor.
"Ato, prepare for combat."
"..." No questions were needed. The moment Ato saw the "thing" blocking their path on the monitor, he stood up with his weapon.
It was a peacock with golden feathers and a long green tail, looking incredibly magnificent.
…
"Su, what do you want to do in the future?"
Amidst the melodious singing and classical music, Kevin asked Su in a low, nearly imperceptible voice.
Everyone around them was craning their necks to watch Eden, who shone like a thousand suns on stage. Clad in a rose-red dress under the spotlights, she looked like a saint who had stepped out of a medieval painting.
"Huh? You're asking this kind of question now? Kevin, you actually think about these things?"
Su, who had been focused on Eden's beautiful voice, was caught off guard and asked back in confusion.
After all, Kevin was the type to take things one step at a time. He shouldn't be thinking about such brain-taxing and mood-spoiling things.
"…I am a high school student, after all. Don't talk about me like I'm just a gorilla." Kevin made a small joke, but then his expression turned much more complex as he glanced at Mei, who was sitting to his right. "It's just that I suddenly feel… maybe I'm the only one standing still."
"Mei will enter the halls of science and become a world-renowned scientist, constantly learning for that goal. She told me the charm of science lies in the process of seeking knowledge and solutions; she will spend her life advancing and pioneering on that path."
"I don't know what Lin is thinking. When I first met him, he looked like a walking corpse. He gradually became the person I'm familiar with, but then he suddenly left, telling me he was going to another world."
"They are all moving forward along paths I don't know, as if… only I am left behind."
Su was indeed surprised that Kevin was thinking about these things, and from his words, Su could hear a hint of melancholy.
This cheerful big boy seemed to have grown up a lot in an instant.
Su, who had originally only wanted to hear a concert with friends, now felt his heart cool down. He gazed at Kalpas profile, then looked at Eden on stage.
"…Approximately 40% of the world's population lives in malaria-endemic areas. Every year, about 100 million people worldwide show clinical symptoms of malaria, and the number of people who die from malaria exceeds 2 million."
"There are over 7,000 different types of rare diseases globally, bringing the total number of rare disease patients worldwide to as many as 350 million. Cases of these diseases are scarce, making them difficult to overcome, and few are willing to try."
"In the world's most populous regions, due to crude sanitary conditions, the prevalence and death rates of infectious diseases far exceed those of other areas, making them a haven for difficult and complicated illnesses."
Su spoke these words softly, a determined yet complex light shining in his eyes. He turned his head and gave Kevin a smile that seemed like a vow. "There are many reasons why I studied medicine. Once, I saw a news report about a seven-year-old girl with multiple sclerosis. This is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammatory demyelination of the central nervous system white matter. The patient's immune system malfunctions and frantically attacks the myelin sheath."
"Because the patient's nervous system's ability to transmit signals is destroyed, a series of physical and mental problems occur—movement abnormalities, depression, visual impairment, numbness… pains that many adults might not be able to bear, yet that little girl persevered."
"She smiled in the ward and thanked every uncle, aunt, and kind person who visited her. Even though half of her face was paralyzed, she still tried her best to smile."
"I think that was the moment I solidified my decision to study medicine. Not just for her, but because there are so many people suffering in places I cannot see, gasping for air, fighting to live."
"If heaven has given a mission upon me, then I think… my mission is to save every person I can touch."