CHAPTER 267: CHAPTER 186: THE GODS

The Master of Tides not only left behind the Ark but also His knowledge. As His consciousness was on the verge of extinction, He embarked on the same path as other deities in seeking the continuation of life and consciousness.

In the flickering light, Ethan gradually understood everything.

Pure Magic Power could also serve as the power source for the Ark’s journey. In fact, initially, this ship might have been driven by the Magic Power of the Master of Tides.

As the connection grew tighter, the Ark became a part of his consciousness, enabling him to perceive the "mechanism" left by the Master of Tides and the true meaning of "the seed of civilization" in "Revelation," which was almost the same as another title Ethan learned in the Empire not long ago.

The Chosen Ones.

He vaguely sensed that this was a more transcendent existence than the Saints, as could be glimpsed from Turzan and Julius’s attitude toward the Chosen One, Mary.

The Ark had always been waiting for a Chosen One who would inherit the will of the Master of Tides, embarking on a journey of "Chosen Ones and Soul Fuel," with the captain assigned a more daunting mission—when the worst happens, he would act as a connector to gather all the Chosen Ones together.

The Master of Tides considered many things. Unable to foresee the identity of the Chosen One or test their character and mind, He left another gift on the Ark to ensure that future Chosen Ones could fulfill their mission.

His remaining thoughts and consciousness would be infused into the Chosen One, granting him extraordinary knowledge, but at the cost of divinity extinguishing humanity, turning the new captain of the Ark into a precise yet cold machine.

Ethan, possessing the insights of modern people, quickly understood the Master of Tides’ plan for extending life.

He uploaded His consciousness, intending to overwrite it onto the new captain when doomsday arrived.

As for what became of the Chosen One whose mind was overwritten, perhaps the Master of Tides himself did not care. Ethan seemed to perceive phantoms of the past in every corner of the Ark. He clearly sensed that by the twilight years, the part of the Master of Tides that belonged to humanity had long perished. He responded to people’s expectations of Him, becoming a rational, benevolent yet merciless deity.

He projected benevolence onto the approaching doomsday and the eventual resurgence of the Old Gods, while His attitude towards individual beings was almost cold.

He would not leave the power of choice to the Fuel and the Chosen Ones. When doomsday arrived, everyone would face their destined fate.

The silence of the steel fortress was broken by people’s exclamations.

The senators and craftsmen saw the cracking ground and the pedestal buried beneath the steel throne.

The fissures almost severed the island in half, and the violent shaking instantly plunged the residents of Ophira into panic. The split ground seemed to be a harbinger of the impending doomsday.

Their houses collapsed, and an unknown number of people fell into the crevices.

The Master of Tides foresaw this moment, but through rational calculation, He concluded that as long as the seed of civilization could continue, everything would be meaningful, regardless of the surviving humans’ denouncement of His cold blood after the victory of the war. He did not care.

Cries and wails formed a symphony heralding the Ark’s voyage.

Those falling and the living were all witnesses.

Yet, immediately after, someone supported those who were falling.

The inhabitants clearly saw countless red arms growing from the cold fissures, even the ocean beneath the cracks was dyed red.

These ominously colored arms protected them, preventing their fall and shielding them from being crushed by debris. It was as if the red ice, given life, returned them to the ground. Looking at the dense red palms, the residents felt their scalps tingle, unsure whether to feel fear or gratitude.

But the ensuing changes pulled them back to reality.

They saw black rifts tearing through the air, with twisted black shadows reaching out from the crevices. Even though they had never seen such creatures, they instantly sensed the malice flowing within.

The black rifts multiplied until they occupied the entire city.

"To the streets."

An authoritative voice sounded in the hearts of every craftsman, making them realize that all the research they did and all the technology they preserved existed for this moment.

The one issuing the command was not Master Craftsman Gelb. In Ethan’s presence, even Gelb seemed like the humblest apprentice. The scene unfolding before them upended their understanding, while Ethan’s command seemed to merge with the figure on the steel throne, becoming the same entity.

This was a command from the Master of Tides.

Yet when they looked at Ethan’s back, trying to see more clearly, they found that the growing darkness obscured their vision, the endless darkness flowing from the wound in Gray pierced by a bullet.

Gray’s face also twisted.

A follower of the Evil God, such thoughts simultaneously surfaced in everyone’s mind. Though most had never seen a follower of the Evil God, upon seeing Gray they easily understood the concept.

It was an irresistible fear, as if holding each of them in the palm of a hand.

This follower of the Evil God dared to plot against the resurrected Master of Tides!

"As I said, driving the Ark requires immense energy, and burning souls is the best choice."