The Grotesque Miss’s End Story v2c105

Chapter 105: New World

Philosopher’s ideal was beautiful, but completely divorced from reality.

Setting aside the sheer madness of his plan, gambling everything on the arrival of a new world, its very nature was just the creation of an unprecedentedly large Kingdom.

This new Kingdom would be shrouded in an Authority-level Fate disaster, rendering all Awakened Ones of other Paths powerless.

Because Awakened Ones’ abilities were derived from the Paths, originating from the deities at their ends. In the new world, no one would be able to connect with any Path besides Other Shore and Present, obtaining their abilities would be impossible.

Moreover, even Philosopher himself wasn’t certain whether this new world could truly be created.

But Philosopher didn’t care. His reasoning was simple:

This world was destined for collapse and destruction, so a gamble, even if it failed, was better than waiting for death. And if it succeeded, it would usher in an unprecedentedly happy new world.

For this future, Philosopher was willing to sacrifice everything, including his life.

Even if, after completing the ascension ritual, “Philosopher” would be replaced by the Fatebringer, as long as the new world arrived, his goal would be achieved.

“I am a Harbinger, guiding humanity. I am Philosopher, seeking the final destination for all,” he murmured, discarding all his doubts.

From the moment he chose this path, there was no turning back, especially since his brother, who had chosen a different path, had failed and died, proving that Victoria’s current peace was just a fragile facade, a far greater crisis awaiting them in the future.

If they continued struggling in the old world, they would be too late when true despair arrived.

Philosopher took a step forward, and the shifting scenery around him froze. The setting sun hung on the horizon, its fading light casting long shadows across the land.

He was now in Twilight Victoria.

Of course, not Miss Iris’s Kingdom, but a real moment in the continuously collapsing Victoria.

Due to the countless collapses and distortions, Victoria’s true timeline wasn’t measured in AD, but by the number of collapses and the years that followed.

Twilight Victoria was the demarcation point of Victoria’s seventy-fourth Boundary collapse, also the most recent one.

Standing in the twilight, Philosopher pondered for a moment, then shook his head.

“Not enough.”

This moment in Victoria wasn’t vulnerable enough.

This collapse, initiated by the Company, still retained many stable anchor points, minimizing the damage. With Philosopher’s current strength, he couldn’t topple this precarious structure.

Philosopher sighed, a sudden chill gripping his heart, the Hour of Death flickering faintly.

“She’s caught up?”

A wave of fear washed over Philosopher. He had thought that by using Traveler to walk through the cracks of time, the White Witch couldn’t touch him, but he had barely reached his first destination and was already facing his end.

Fortunately, his solidified form was now partially Fatebringer.

Its power greatly mitigated this sudden attack, preventing him from instantly falling into Silent Demise.

“My mission isn’t complete. I must save the world. I… can’t die yet! I can’t!”

Philosopher didn’t even look back. As the chill intensified, he used Traveler again, his hunched figure fading from the twilight, replaced by a cold, tall figure.

Luo Ling, in her Amethyst form, held Absolute Blade, a dangerous glint in her black eyes with pinpoint pupils, like a cold-blooded predator, a chilling smile on her lips.

“This is… the Fatebringer’s will…”

It was this will that had resisted Luo Ling’s killing blow using Submerge.

However, this also meant Philosopher’s time was running out. Soon, he would be completely replaced by the Fatebringer.

In her Amethyst form, Luo Ling wielded Naraku’s three abilities.

Ensnare, rewriting reality.

Submerge, manipulating world lines.

Demise, perceiving the essence of all things.

Although these abilities often exhibited chaotic side effects, Luo Ling couldn’t worry about that now.

She had to do everything in her power to kill Philosopher before he succeeded, preventing him from dragging Victoria, and the entire world, into an irreversible abyss.

Burning Victoria.

An unprecedented plague disaster enveloped Victoria, a massive fire consuming almost everything, triggering a Boundary collapse.

“No, Victoria at this time… isn’t enough…”

Philosopher’s form, instead of dimming, became even more solid, a divine aura now surrounding him.

The moment of ascension had arrived. The Fatebringer was about to return to the Sequence.

But Philosopher, sensing his own state, noticed a subtle difference.

In the past, the Fatebringer had been killed by the combined efforts of the five-member group.

He had already been severely weakened, and Philosopher, paying the price of a Boundary’s complete annihilation, had finally extinguished him.

But the Fatebringer returning now… wasn’t the one they had killed.

It was… Philosopher.

Philosopher was becoming the Fatebringer.

This wasn’t a possession, but a transformation from within. Once he fully controlled Traveler and ascended to a Sequence position, regardless of who he was, he would follow the same path as the Fatebringer, losing all traces of his humanity, irreversibly becoming him.

Even Philosopher, who had used Traveler countless times, couldn’t avoid this fate.

…This further highlighted the terrifying nature of a human-like Grotesquery.

However, knowing this, Philosopher had prepared a backup plan.

Regardless of the outcome, even if he gradually transformed into the Fatebringer during this hunt, he would persevere, as this was humanity’s only hope, the only chance to save the world.

Fungal threads spread from the burning flames, gradually forming a small, pale figure, her indifferent expression devoid of emotion, her relentless pursuit continuing.

Philosopher wasn’t powerless against Luo Ling, but his time was running out. Even with his backup plan, he wanted to keep his options open.

This gamble wasn’t over yet.

Philosopher’s figure vanished instantly, moving to the next Boundary collapse node.

“……”

Another misstep.

Luo Ling closed her eyes slowly. She didn’t immediately continue the pursuit, instead using the Spores she had left near Philosopher to sense his condition, waiting for the next opportunity to strike.

She didn’t attack at every collapse node because her uses of Traveler were limited. Every attempt reduced her chances of killing Philosopher.

Luo Ling had followed Philosopher through over twenty collapse nodes, the eras constantly shifting, the closer to the present, the less chaotic the Boundary, gradually approaching the real Victoria.

But also becoming increasingly fragile.

Twilight Victoria had been so stable that even a Taboo disaster couldn’t trigger a collapse, requiring the Company’s intervention.

But Burning Victoria, having only experienced a High-Risk Grotesquery disaster and a large fire, not even caused by a Grotesquery, had already begun to collapse.

However, this was just a trend. Under certain circumstances, Victoria could become incredibly fragile. This was why Philosopher didn’t dare jump to earlier collapse nodes, fearing he might miss the perfect opportunity.

“…He stopped again,” Luo Ling murmured, her pale figure losing all color amidst the flames, the spreading fungal threads dissipating.

Mad Victoria.

Collapsing Victoria.

Bloody Victoria.

…….

Through countless disasters, both man-made and natural, across Victoria’s collapsing nodes, Philosopher’s repeated failures, Luo Ling’s relentless pursuit, this hunt seemed endless.

The collapse nodes they passed through became increasingly unfamiliar, disasters neither Luo Ling nor Philosopher had ever witnessed.

Even before Philosopher’s birth.

Until Philosopher arrived at an ancient collapse node, a hint of fear in his eyes, realizing how similar this Victoria was to the Burial Ground.

Everywhere he looked, he saw desolation and ruin.

A pale yellow sky, a barren land, the buildings all decayed by time, not even a breeze disturbing this lifeless place.

Although not as terrifying as the Burial Ground, it still shocked Philosopher.

This was…

—Doomsday Victoria.

Victoria’s most vulnerable moment in history.

Philosopher stood on the ground, silent, hesitating for a long moment—several breaths—before finally acting.

As he paused, the gloomy, black-haired girl arrived, plunging Absolute Blade into his chest without hesitation.

“Will the new world I envision… also be like this?” Philosopher asked with difficulty.

He slowly turned around, for the first time during this hunt, meeting Luo Ling’s gaze.

“I don’t know,” Luo Ling said softly.

She truly didn’t know.

However, Luo Ling was certain…

“Perhaps… it will be even worse.”

“Is that so?”

Philosopher chuckled in disbelief, Absolute Blade, piercing his heart, guiding him towards eternal Silent Demise.

But the next moment, Philosopher’s form became translucent, the last vestiges of emotion fading from his eyes.

At the same time, the Traveler Authority activated, not jumping to another collapse node, but simply escaping Luo Ling’s attack.

Luo Ling looked at Philosopher. She could no longer see any trace of humanity in his eyes. He had completely become him, the Fatebringer of Present.

At this moment, Philosopher was truly dead, only the Fatebringer remaining.

“Inevitable Fate…” the ancient voice murmured, “Please reveal… the Hour of Birth… to the lost…”

After Philosopher’s death, the Fatebringer inherited his existence and his mission.

Using Doomsday Victoria as an anchor, sacrificing the entire Origin Point, Victoria, wielding the Taboo Authority, Fate, using the Hour of Birth, he would usher in the new world.

A distant response echoed, and the illusory figures of three goddesses appeared in the sky above Victoria.

They sat before an ancient loom, one weaving fate from the chaotic threads of life, one distributing fate to the world, and the last, holding scissors, determining the moment fate ended.

Almost identical to the Fate disaster that had recently afflicted Victoria.

Grotesquery Sequence 7, the Taboo, Norn of Present.

But this time, it wasn’t the last goddess’ scissors that fell, but the first goddess’ weaving.

Using the entire Origin Point, Victoria, as material, starting from Doomsday Victoria, the ancient loom creaked and whirred, the threads of fate weaving together, gradually forming the new world.

This was a new world existing only between Other Shore and Present. Within this new world, only Awakened Ones of these two Paths could retain their abilities; all others would be stripped of their power, even Sequence Grotesqueries.

Moreover, born from Fate, everyone in the new world would know their Hour of Birth and Hour of Death, the outcome of their Uncertain Fate.

Everyone would know the consequences of their actions, when they were born, when they would die, when they would reincarnate, and when they would be extinguished.

As the Origin Point, Victoria, was consumed as the price, the new world’s lifespan extended.

Five minutes, ten minutes…

One month, two months…

One year, two years…

Perhaps… forever.

Philosopher seemed to have succeeded.

But… not completely.

Because the new world’s existence only lasted for a few minutes before suddenly collapsing without warning.

Even the three goddesses’ illusory figures faded due to this sudden collapse, the Fatebringer also dimming slightly.

Luo Ling silently watched, although this was expected, the speed still surprised her.

She had thought it would at least wait until the new world was fully formed…

But it had only lasted…

A few minutes.

The new world, the culmination of Philosopher’s lifelong efforts and ideals, had only existed for a few minutes before its failure.

His mad gamble had ended in utter defeat.

Luo Ling sensed a familiar aura from this collapse.

Doomsday.

“Perhaps… it’s because the anchor point was Doomsday Victoria,” Luo Ling sighed softly.

In the new world, where other Paths shouldn’t have existed, the unexpected appearance of the Doomsday Path had completely destroyed the order constructed by Fate.

The Hour of Birth was no longer reliable, the Hour of Death a fallacy, and Uncertain Fate filled with unpredictable futures. The new world, its happiness built upon the fragile control of Fate, lost all meaning the moment Doomsday appeared.

Fate, ultimately, couldn’t contend with Doomsday.

Luo Ling’s long white hair, streaked with crimson, swayed in the collapsing breeze, her Ember Kingdom expanding, dark grey and crimson intertwining, enveloping the Fatebringer, severely injured by Fate’s backlash.

He struggled.

But it was just a futile struggle, a trapped beast’s final defiance.

Luo Ling’s indifferent gaze lingered on the High-Risk Grotesquery, whose mission was complete, for a few moments before shifting to the side.

A woman, dressed in elegant, aristocratic attire, her appearance surprisingly young despite her regal bearing, stood nearby.

Behind her gold-rimmed glasses, her eyes held a hint of pity.

“How pitiful.”

The Woman shook her head and sighed.

Unlike her attitude towards the Old Man, she hadn’t tried to stop Philosopher.

The reason was simple.

“Did you already know… that Philosopher’s dream of a new world… would end like this?” Luo Ling asked softly. “Harbinger of Doomsday.”

“Of course, because everything is predetermined, Miss White Witch,” the Woman said, adjusting her glasses. “All things ultimately end in Doomsday, without exception.

“Victoria, the ‘Origin Point of Change,’ the Great Xia Imperial City, the ‘Origin Point of Silence,’ even Valhalla, the ‘Origin Point of Demise,’ can’t escape this fate.

“All Origin Points, their final moments, will be like Columbia, the ‘Origin Point of Corruption,’ ceasing to exist within Doomsday.”