"Tribbie… teacher?"
The last shred of his consciousness squeezed out this incoherent mumble.
"Phainon…"
A gentle voice responded.
Immediately, an indescribable warmth enveloped his head.
It was a hand.
Gently stroking his hair.
Phainon suddenly opened his eyes!
He was lying in an unfamiliar room.
Simple wooden table, wooden chair, wooden bed.
On the table were several pottery shards, still stained with fresh mud, whose crude aging technique allowed him to identify Old Han Legs' craftsmanship.
Is this the style of Belobog's Underworld?
No.
I was clearly deep within Penacony's dreamscape.
Who… who was it that pushed open that door in the last moment before he completely melted down?
Was it Tribios?
Or… Tribbie, his teacher?
He looked down, examining his "body."
It couldn't be called a body.
Just a burned-out pile of ashes, ready to scatter with a breath.
The cold light screen, the melting progress, was frozen at the critical point.
[Body Melt: 99.999...%]
It was forcibly halted at the very last second before reaching 100%.
His gaze slowly moved, finally settling on the center of the room.
A huge treasure chest stood there out of nowhere, their opulent style completely out of place in this humble room.
On the lid, in brightly colored, distorted graffiti-like script, were two large words—
"Surprise."
Phainon dragged his broken body forward, step by step.
He didn't hesitate at all, directly lifting the lid.
There was no golden light in the chest, no treasure.
Only a single Memory Bubble, silently floating and spinning in the air.
He reached out a finger and gently touched it.
Buzz—
"Ah~"
A flamboyant figure yawned, stretched, and materialized before Phainon—
Sampo.
When he saw Phainon, his eyes erupted with an exaggerated surprise.
"Oh, my good friend! You're finally here!"
Phainon's gaze remained unwavering, "You are a phantom made of memory substance."
"You can't say that, friend!" Sampo flicked the bangs from his forehead, grinning as he leaned closer,
"I am a perfect replica with all of Sampo's memories! In a sense, I am him, and he is me!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Phainon's eyes suddenly darkened, "Are you alluding to me?"
"Of course not!" Sampo immediately raised his hands in surrender, the smile on his face receding slightly, becoming a bit nuanced,
"Alright, friend, no more jokes. Since you found this place, it means you're ready to receive your 'reward.'"
"Reward?"
"Have you forgotten? You once sealed an ancient beast in Belobog." Sampo circled Phainon, clicking his tongue in wonder,
"The first time I saw you in Belobog, I noticed there was an incredible fire hidden in your body, one that would burn you to ashes sooner or later. Since you helped me, I, Sampo, believe in fair trade."
He changed the subject,
"Deep beneath Jarilo-VI, there's an ancient beast that walked the path of 'Gluttony,' and then it accidentally took a bite out of 'IX.'
"So it will reduce everything it devours to nothingness. Qlipoth spent a lot of effort to seal it, and it eventually became the planet it is today."
Phainon interrupted him, "Get to the point."
"The point is…" Sampo chuckled, conjuring a gift box from behind him like a magic trick, "I intercepted a small piece of that ancient beast's 'flesh' at the site of your sealing. It is both 'Gluttony' and 'Nihility,' the perfect 'burning vessel' for that fire of yours!"
An unidentifiable, subtly squirming chaotic substance appeared before Phainon.
To carry a spark, even the most perfect Chrysos Heirs body has their limits.
But what if this body was simultaneously tainted by the all-devouring "Gluttony" and the meaninglessness of "Nihility"?
Then it could become a perfect vessel.
Phainon didn't hesitate at all, reaching out to the substance.
"Wait!"
Sampo grabbed his wrist, the smile completely gone from his face, replaced by absolute seriousness.
"Friend, I must warn you. I didn't anticipate that something even more troublesome had been planted in your mind."
"Once you accept this power, Nihility will devour the barrier, and the anti-meme bomb will detonate instantly."
Sampo stared intently into his eyes, enunciating each word.
"You will be forgotten by everyone. 'Phainon' will be completely erased."
Phainon's movements paused.
Faces flashed through his mind.
Stelle hugging the trash can, March 7th with her camera, Welt Yang's helpless expression as he adjusted his glasses, Himeko holding a cup of coffee, Dan Heng's seemingly indifferent expression.
Pom-Pom, who always scolded Phainon but never laid a hand on him.
And the Chrysos Heirs, Anaxa, Cipher, Mydei, Tribios… The next moment, he let out a breath, his reply eerily calm.
"My companions will remember me."
He withdrew his hand, asking in return: "If the anti-meme activates, what will happen to you, as a memory entity?"
"Me?" Sampo was momentarily stunned, then quickly reverted to his carefree demeanor, shrugging elegantly,
"I am essentially a meme, so of course I'll go 'poof' and disappear! As the opening ceremony for a grand performance, this is the highest honor for a follower of 'Elation'!"
Phainon looked at him deeply.
He picked up the golden mask, gently caressing their cold patterns.
"I once thought 'Elation' was just about seeking fun."
"Now I understand."
The corners of his mouth curved slightly,
"So this is 'Elation.'"
"Using oneself as paint, one's life as a joke, to draw an absurd yet brilliant comedy for a world full of suffering."
Sampo clapped him on the shoulder, laughing loudly: "Friend, if you keep talking like that, the great God of Fun will be moved to tears!"
"Hm."
Phainon softly acknowledged him, saying no more.
He reached out, resolutely touching the gift box.