The next day, at 5:30 AM, the Venerable Islabith—the Blessed of the Sky—slowly opened her eyes and turned her gaze toward Yuta, who was fast asleep.
A faint smile, filled with contentment and happiness, played upon her lips as she held him in a tighter embrace. Yet, Yuta's sleeping features remained largely unchanged, save for the slightest hint of a smile.
The coldness and sternness usually etched on his face vanished, revealing nothing more than a young man held in his mother's arms.
Fifteen minutes later, Yuta Caseral and the Venerable Islabith were seated on the balcony, gazing up at the sky—a habit they shared.
Gazing at the heavens with a calm expression and a gentle smile, the Venerable Islabith spoke: "So, you wish to go to the Hua Yu Clan, don't you?"
Yuta turned his eyes toward her, his expression betraying a touch of surprise at the implication behind her words. Yet, he chose not to dwell on it; after all, she was a mother, and such questions were only natural. "Yes, I still want to go to the Hua Yu Clan; there is something I must do to secure the prize." Yuta's tone was calm as he shifted his gaze.
He recalled the events of the past few months with a faint smile, musing quietly to himself: "Tom met both Zhao Li and Alessandra—they merged, and he obtained the 'First' seed along with the System."
"Yoruichi, Gray, Lucy, Jian Yi, and Armin have all grown stronger; their paths to power are becoming increasingly clear. The challenges ahead will be grueling, but that applies to everyone."
"Then there are the unexpected guests: Beatrice, Seok, Hinataku, Seol Haoran, Amin from the Eye of the Sultan restaurant, and Amitalamira, too. Their paths to power seem remarkably clear."
"The first phase is nearing its end; all that remains is to complete a side quest, upgrade the Dragon Genes to Level 2, and have Jia break through to the 'Boundless' rank."
"But there is still one person left: Nobara—that damned 'Reader' who will be joining me at the Academy of Celestial Immortals! What a despicable scoundrel. Kim Dokja is a better 'Reader' than him; at least he isn't inside my novel wreaking havoc everywhere. Ugh... so annoying!"
He rose from his seat, ignoring the gaze of the Venerable Jalil—the Blessing of the Sky of Islabith—which was filled with undisguised mockery. Nevertheless, he decided to continue on his way without saying a word; only six days remained before he would leave Casiral Palace and head to the Northern Continent, where there was a high probability of meeting the "Venerable" residing there.
As Yuta wandered through the palace—where servants were carrying out their routine morning cleaning—he noticed Amitalamira sitting on a sofa on the ground floor. Yet, he did nothing, for the mission interface was displayed before his eyes:
[Important: Ruler's Path Missions
Objective 1: Assist in protecting the Tree of Existence, Ji Yao Li.
Reward Difficulty: ?????
Ruler's Robe
Rank: ?????
Abilities: Absolute immunity against all things existent and non-existent.
Failure Penalty: Reversion to the Primal Origin.
Sub-mission 01: Gather and prepare the Heroes of Prophecy for the upcoming War of Paths and the events that follow.
Reward: ??????
Duration: 3 years
Rank: ?????
Sub-mission 02: Assist the Descendant of Narrative Time and pave the way for them to become the strongest.
Reward: ??????
Duration: Until the end of the year 675
Rank: S
Sub-mission 03: Assist Alessandra's allies in becoming capable of fighting in the War of Paths and the events that follow.
Reward: ??????
Duration: 3 years
Rank: ?????
Important Notes:
1) Mandatory sub-missions will be assigned alongside every main mission. 2) Since the esteemed candidate "Grand Creator" Yuto completed the primary objectives three years and nearly nine months ahead of schedule, several mandatory sub-missions will be imposed upon him.
3) Since the candidate departed the novel *The Dragon Angel in a World of Fantasy*—during his battle against Vermon Solterk, the ruler and creator of the novel *War of the Conflicting Kingdoms*—before his allotted three-year timeframe had elapsed, the esteemed candidate Grand Creator Yuto is prohibited from leaving the world of *The Dragon Angel in a World of Fantasy* during the years 676, 677, and 678 AD.
4) Since the candidate returned to his original body before concluding the story of Yuta Caseral—one of the protagonists of *The Dragon Angel in a World of Fantasy*—the host is prohibited from using the abilities of his original body or any ability unrelated to the powers possessed by Yuta Caseral's body. Exceptions are made for innate abilities such as "Eternal Writer," "Ruler's Eye," "Ability Maker," "Infinite Evolution," etc. However, the user is forbidden from utilizing his "Grand Creator's Wings" and all associated abilities for the duration of the three-year penalty.
Objective 2: Undisclosed.
Objective 3: Undisclosed.
Objective 4: Undisclosed.
Objective 5: Undisclosed.
Mission Duration: Permanent]
Yuta's gaze held a blend of calmness and intensity as he looked toward Sub-Mission 02: assisting the Scion of Narrative Time and paving the way for him to become the strongest. He immediately dismissed the system interface and glanced toward Amitalamira, only to find she had left upon noticing his presence; he let out a deep sigh, filled with suspicion regarding her.
He continued his way into the Casiral family estate, his mind occupied solely by thoughts of the coming months—a period destined to be packed with both pleasant surprises and unwelcome challenges.
After all, life is fraught with setbacks and risks lurking around every corner, waiting for him to falter so that his enemies and detractors could pounce.
"Oh, so much has happened these past few days. It seems a massive portion of the first phase's plan has been accomplished; there isn't much left to finish, though the remaining part is the hardest," Yuta mused silently, his inner voice calm.
He reflected on everything that had transpired since classes ended at Versalkin Academy (twenty-four days had passed, yet they had been eventful):
Jiya had fought Vermon Solterk in the city of Yoher Speak and lost decisively—an outcome that forced her to deeply reconsider the path she was taking to grow stronger.
Then there was the Market of Mysteries, where Yuta had met the venerable "Great Story Merchant," Stefan Telmore. died at the hands of the Revered Blessing of the Sky, Elizabeth, with the "Lotus Flower" Jiehao Yuxuan intervening from the shadows.
There were also their encounters with "Kind Word" Chloe and "Harsh Word" Madeline, as well as the Casiral family: Athena, Kiri, Liri, and Siri.
Then came the unsealing of the Supreme Ruler of Destruction, Higurashi—or Siri—and the death of the Magic Emperor, Aster Guilford, at the hands of Elizabeth before the eyes of the entire world.
Yuta also advanced his Dragon and Devil-Angel genes to Level 2 and met the figures known to him as the "Great Outcast" and to Jia as "Nameless."
A multitude of events unfolded over those twenty-four days, yet four months still lay ahead—months destined to bring both expected and unexpected developments.
Nevertheless, Yuta did not seem as invested in this world as its inhabitants were; ultimately, his immediate goal was to leave it to complete the four remaining core missions.
In this fantasy realm—much like in other novels—he was required to complete side missions over the next three years based on System conditions about which he knew nothing.
The System interface offered no instructions on how to execute the missions, forcing Yuta to use his allotted time in the world as a gauge to infer the vague criteria for success.
Meanwhile, Yuta stood at the door to Jia's room; upon entering, he found her lying on her bed in her sleepwear. He discovered that the terrifying energy she once harbored had vanished, leaving behind only her pure essence—save for the lingering boost in power she derived from his mere proximity.
He lay down beside her on the bed with a calm gaze. Jia, however, was unbothered by this; after all, they were ultimately a single entity, so there was no sense of awkwardness between them.
Jia let out a deep sigh, glancing at Yuta out of the corner of her eye as she tried to discern the reason for his visit. Yuta responded with a faint, wry smile that deeply annoyed her.
He spoke in a calm tone that made her eyes widen slightly: "Jia, Jia... our lives are like a circle; they always return to the starting point, though we inhabit different personas, bodies, and mindsets. When the time comes to learn the truth, you will understand why our lives follow this circular path."
Jia remained silent. She knew he was referring to the Great Outcast—he was a shard of the Great Outcast, and she was a shard of the "Nameless One." Yet, they were a single entity split in two; indeed, she and Yuta had been fused together back when they were merely shards.
She lifted her head and rested it on Yuta's stomach, her gaze fixed on the ceiling with an expression that was a blend of calm and detachment. She then took his hand and placed it upon her hair—a gesture that took him by surprise for a fleeting moment.
He then gently stroked her hair, realizing that this was what she wanted. After all, the original owner of this body had lived for a long time as an experiment—nurtured only to be consumed—so the desire for affection had passed on to her, yet it remained suppressed deep within.
It was a truly beautiful, comforting moment for both Yuta and Jia; she kept her eyes closed, allowing Yuta to gently stroke her white hair.
Yuta glanced at her for a few seconds before turning his gaze back to the ceiling, speaking with a mocking tone: "Today I'm stroking my own hair, and tomorrow I'll find her asleep in my lap! Hahahaha!"
To Jia, Yuta's words were merely irritating nonsense; had he said this two months ago, she might have attacked him on the spot—or perhaps drawn closer, just as she was now.
But knowing they were fundamentally the same entity, she saw him as nothing more than a fool; arguing with him would be so trivial it would require a psychiatrist!
She opened her eyes and looked at Yuta, who was still staring unblinkingly at the ceiling with a calm expression. Yet, she said nothing, simply gazing back at him quietly.
Then, she spoke in a tone that made Yuta look at her in surprise: "Why don't you grow a beard, Yuta? Your face is smooth—almost excessively feminine."
Yuta narrowed his eyes at her and flicked her forehead as he spoke: "The reason my face is beardless is simple: in my original body, it grows incredibly long." "My abilities would make trimming or cutting it impossible, turning it into a liability during a fight if it were grabbed; in the heat of battle, an opponent would do anything, and having my beard yanked to create an opening could cost me my life."
Jia regarded him with a calm, puzzled look, thinking, *What a ridiculous excuse?* Yet, she decided to believe him; she couldn't quite recall the specific traits of his original body, but a gut feeling told her his reasoning held water.
She let out a long sigh, glancing at Yuta out of the corner of her eye before flicking her finger against his cheek—a slap that left him bewildered for a few seconds... before he slapped her right back!
Just then, the Venerable Heaven's Blessing, Islabith, opened the door to Jia's room, only to find the two of them bickering. She stared at them in sheer astonishment.
She sighed and pressed a hand to her forehead, but the gesture soon turned into a chuckle as she recalled Yuta's antics with his wife, Mizuki, or his twin siblings. Seeing him act this way—with himself—left her utterly amazed.
Although Yuta was usually calm, meticulously calculating, and exuded charisma in serious situations, he didn't care to be that way all the time. To him, life wasn't merely about planning; while he strove for absolute freedom, he also loved simply living and seeking the intangible—dismissing conventional notions of emotion as trivial nonsense that had nothing to do with true liberty. She walked into the room, laughing as she looked at them; their hair was disheveled in a comical way, and their sullen expressions only made them look even more ridiculous.
She sat on the sofa, still regarding them with a look of heavy mockery—a gaze they could not retort to, given that the Revered and Exalted "Blessing of the Heavens," Islabith, was vastly more powerful than they were. Although Fuyota could utilize 40% of his power, he was not in his original body, meaning he could only manifest a mere fraction of his full strength.
"Well, it seems there are some issues between you and Oh, Gia and Yuta—what fools you two are! You are seventy thousand years old, yet compared to ordinary humans, you are still mere youths of twenty-one, just at the start of your lives."
"And yet, Gia—mark my words: if you think the world of *The Dragon Angel in a World of Fantasy* is dangerous, then our world—*I am Inside My Novel*—would be hell itself!" The tone of the Exalted Revered One, Islabith—Blessing of the Sky—shifted gradually from mockery to gravity.
As for Gia, she drifted into a semi-conscious state upon hearing the name *I am Inside My Novel*—the very same title as the audio recording app containing the memories of the Great Outcast and "Nameless."
The voice of Bou-Taleb echoed ceaselessly in her mind: "I used to like solitude somewhat and often disliked mingling with people. Yet... I don't know exactly what to say; I feel a certain vitality, but at the same time, I sense a disaster brewing for me—one you might hear me recount soon. Well, I'll call my story *I am Inside My Novel*—or rather, *I Am Inside My Life Story*. A strange name, I know—a novel story? Who cares? I'm the one living it, while you're just enjoying it. Even if I seem like a fool, you aren't in my shoes; and even if you were, you wouldn't feel what I feel."
She took a deep breath, looked toward the Exalted Revered One, Islabith—Blessing of the Sky—and spoke in a calm voice: "Do you know a place called Al-Sawayhiyya Village? Is there a place by that name?" The Venerable Lady Islabith, the "Blessing of the Sky," kept her gaze fixed on Jia—a look that blended outward calm with subtle, hidden cunning and malice. This unsettled Jia, and Yuta felt the same unease, fueling his suspicions about the circumstances of her death in his previous life.
She was vastly more powerful than him—even considering the strength he retained from his past life as a Level 5 Pavilion Master and his current Level 4 status. He was a being forged from the essence of twelve Pavilion Masters who had reached the Absolute Realm over the span of three full eras; Islabith, as his mother, was one of those twelve.
She spoke in a calm tone, maintaining that same inscrutable gaze: "Al-Sawayhiya Village is a place no one cares to feature or weave into the plot—it doesn't even exist in any novel. The information on it is mundane: a mountain village in the Mascara province, near the city of Oran. It got its name because most of the residents share the surname 'Sayeh,' or something similar."
"That's all the information available. After all, the story rarely unfolds in Arab countries. Novels are usually Korean—set in Korea or another world—or Chinese, featuring the *Murim* world or a fantasy realm. Even Arab novels follow the same pattern: *Murim*, Korea, or other worlds... The point is, Arab nations rarely appear unless the intent is to portray them negatively—American movies are the prime example of that!" Jiya sighed as she gazed at the Venerable Sky-Blessing Islabith; although the information held little personal significance for her, she realized that this dwelling harbored secrets she had yet to uncover.
Meanwhile, Yuta—who had emerged from that egg only a few hours prior—was deep in thought; he decided to leave the area, parting ways with both the Venerable Sky-Blessing Islabith and Jiya.
At that moment, in the palace gardens, Chloe and Madeline were strolling when they encountered Yuta, who regarded them with an unnervingly calm gaze.
Yet, they showed no signs of surprise or astonishment—as if they already knew the reason for his visit. They walked toward him with steady strides, exuding dignity, status, power, and absolute wisdom. This prompted a wary look from Yuta as he mused to himself: " 'Kind Word' Chloe and 'Harsh Word' Madeline have matured far beyond what they were in the past."
He rubbed the bridge of his nose, looking at them with eyes that sought answers about his own past, though he sensed that neither "Kind Word" Chloe nor "Harsh Word" Madeline would reveal a thing.
Their gazes were particularly sharp—filled with intelligence, wisdom, and insight—making it incredibly difficult to draw information out of them.
Chloe spoke in a calm, pleasant tone, a happy smile playing on her lips: "Oh, the Venerable Great Creator Yuto—why are you in such a rush? Oh... I've got it!" "If you complete all the sub-tasks, we'll consider giving you the answer."
"There are things you simply won't find no matter how hard you search. Sometimes, a single word can destroy or mend everything—isn't that right, Brother Yuto, the Great Architect?"
Yuta sighed deeply as he looked at them. Both Chloe and Madeline were ancient entities possessing absolute knowledge of his world's narrative; he had no choice but to believe them, for they were far more powerful than he was—or even the Venerable Islabith (Blessing of the Sky) and the Venerable Astratus (Messenger of the Great Outcast).
He turned to leave immediately, realizing he wouldn't get anything useful out of them. However, Madeline stopped him, her face twisted in annoyance:
"Brother, you came only for your own benefit and now you're leaving? How rude! You're a terrible brother—terrible, terrible, terrible!" Madeline's tone was laced with irritation, and Chloe felt the same way, glaring at him with the look of someone who had been betrayed.
Yuta met their gazes calmly. He gently brushed aside Madeline's hand and spoke in a quiet, composed tone that only seemed to frustrate them further: "Why are you upset? Oh—is it because I asked you something and you refused? Hmm... I'll think about it, Sisters Chloe and Madeline. I suppose that until I finish all the sub-tasks, we're even." Both Chloe and Madeline remained silent for a few seconds as they stared at him; then, they gripped his arms with such immense strength that Yuta could not break free, finding himself dragged along—little more than a plaything for two narrative entities in the guise of young girls.