Especially Hyacine.
She finally realized the reason the remaining Skyfolk became such steadfast supporters of the Flame-Chasing Journey after falling to the land below was not because of their history.
It was simply because this was the condition they needed in order to survive. Their motives were nowhere near as noble as the records claimed.
But aside from themselves, no one else knew the truth. In the eyes of others, they were Aglaea's most loyal supporters, comparable to the Kremnoans.
And Seliose's attitude made Hyacine feel something else...
Mockery. Yes, mockery.
Seliose spared her pitiful ancestors for only one reason.
The Daythunder Knight had already figured it out.
After she spared that woman and a portion of the survivors, they would devote themselves wholeheartedly to spreading her glory and embellishing their own past.
The world would believe it without question. Even their own descendants would believe it. Because Seliose would never expose the truth.
And according to their agreement, those descendants would one day return to the Sky.
By then, those children, who had completely accepted the Skyfolks' glorious history as fact, would come back here and face her, no face the truth.
That was what Seliose had been waiting for. But there was no kindness in that anticipation.
Only malice. She believed that once those descendants learned the truth, they would reveal the most absurd and laughable aspects of human nature.
The nameless woman had tried to use humanity's potential to bargain for survival.
Seliose's agreement was also a reflection of her own belief, that humanity was beyond salvation.
No matter how much time passed, what ultimately appeared before her eyes would still be humanity's ugliest nature.
That was why she didn't mind letting the nameless woman and a handful of others live a little longer.
...
: This truth... damn. Hyacine is going to break.
: There's no glory in this at all! Forget glory, the unknown woman was reduced to the utmost humiliation!
: She was just a Chrysos Heir descendant desperately struggling to stay alive.
: Holy crap! This completely overturns the entire history and identity of Hyacine's people!
: I feel like Seliose had completely lost her humanity. When she made that agreement, she must have already anticipated this day. She just wanted to see the moment her descendants' shared beliefs were shattered.
: No wonder... no wonder Solabis said the moment he saw Hyacine that she didn't carry Seliose's traits.
: Seriously... every single Chrysos Heir storyline has been incredible.
: After Anaxa's arc ended, I thought the Skyfolk storyline wouldn't have any more twists... and I got slapped in the face again.
: Amazing. The infighting, the arguments, the conflict between old and new believers, and now the story of that unknown Chrysos heir, it's all so shocking!
: Seliose, who once fought for humanity, abandoned her humanity and embraced divinity because she believed human nature was inherently evil... even slaughtering her own people. It's tragic.
: I'm not educated enough to say anything except... this is awesome.
: We're just the audience and we're already like this... is Hyacine okay?
: If I were Hyacine, I'd be completely broken right now!
...
The stunned audience flooded the screen with comments.
More than anything, they were worried about Hyacine's condition.
"The truth of the legend... is finally clear." Phainon recovered from the shock of the truth and instinctively turned toward Hyacine.
"Hyacinthia..."
Hyacine slowly raised her head. Her beautiful face was filled with confusion.
"Am I... the descendant of that nameless Chrysos Heir?"
"Our lineage wasn't from the hero... but from a nameless Chrysos Heir who begged for mercy before her."
"My whole clan's fragile mortal life... was simply spared on Seliose's whim..." Hyacine muttered to herself.
The light in her eyes grew dimmer and dimmer.
"We must not yield to her scorn."
At that moment, Stelle said with restrained anger, "Humans aren't as contemptible as she thinks."
She hated this feeling. Especially the malice hidden behind Seliose's decision to spare Hyacine's ancestor.
Looking back on the Nameless' journey...
They fought the Doomsday Beast. They fought Phantylia. They fought countless disasters, they had always believed in humanity above all else.
In humanity's ability to overcome anything. How could Seliose, after breaking down, turn everything upside down like this?
Phainon and Stelle worried about Hyacine's state. Even the audience feared that the lovable Hyacine would completely fall apart because of this.
But the healer was far stronger than anyone had imagined. Hyacine looked up, took a deep breath, and the confusion in her eyes gradually faded.
Replacing it was a look of quiet determination. She turned toward the two winged beasts and asked,
"Lord Solabis, Lady Lunabis... tell me... did you wait for a thousand years at the Eye of Twilight... Just to witness that Chrysos Heir's child coming back to receive punishment?"
Lunabis sighed before answering, "Time alters everything, child."
"Once upon a time, we had not yet learned to read the complexities of human nature, and Seliose's perspective was our only window into understanding humanity."
Solabis continued, "Her words were everything to us: Our guide, comfort, command, and admonition."
"It wasn't until she fell silent that we learned to perceive humanity through our senses."
During the thousand years, after Seliose fell silent, the two winged beasts began watching the world below while resisting the Black Tide's invasions.
They witnessed the destruction of Castrum Kremnos. They witnessed the Temple of the Three Fates fall to the Black Tide as well.
But they also witnessed humanity's brilliance. The ordinary people who gave their lives fighting against the Black Tide.
The Chrysos Heirs who embarked on the one-way journey of the Flame-Chasing Expedition.
They truly experienced the unity and hope that Seliose herself had never lived to see.
"During our resistance against the black tide... we watched over the earth, observing the progress of the Flame-Chase Journey. We saw heroes embarking on a mission of deliverance from which they could not return."
"The unity and hope Seliose couldn't see... we've witnessed in her place."
"We've changed, young Hyacinthia. Our watch isn't about proving humanity's weaknesses anymore..."
After speaking in unison, the two winged beasts lifted their heads toward the eye that had been watching from the sky all this time.
Hearing their words, Hyacine finally let out a relieved sigh.
A faint smile curled at the corners of her lips. And once again, a smile blossomed across her face.
She stepped forward, coming to stand before everyone. Looking directly into the eyes in the sky, she shouted:
"Lady Seliose! I want to tell you this! Doesn't matter if you can hear me or not!"
"I want you to know that I am glad to be born as the child of a nameless and ordinary mortal!"
"Only then can I prove to you that tenacious hope, buried in the deepest part of the human soul, has not been lost to time! It's just waiting to heal and grow, and then it will shine once more."
"Even the most cowardly individual harbors a seed within. Perhaps in your era, the light on the horizon was too dim for it to sprout..."
"But do you see it now? A thousand years later, the path you forged is now walked by many brilliant heroes."
"They love the people of this world unreservedly, willing to sacrifice themselves to shine a light upon the children of humanity."
At those words, the scene shifted to Phainon.
With his lips pressed together, he stared at the eye in the sky, placing his right hand over his chest.
It was not only the most basic gesture of respect toward the Sky Titan, but also a declaration on behalf of all the Chrysos Heirs and children of humanity who could not be here.
After a brief pause, Hyacine continued:
"The light they leave behind will inspire the seeds within people to sprout, grow, and thrive, nurturing them every step of the way."
"Until the barren land is reborn as a thriving forest, growing endlessly, and one day... reaching for the sky once again."
"That "twilight," still capable of being healed and protected in the end times... is the reason we choose to bear the weight of humanity's flaws."
As those words rang out, the confusion, sorrow, and gloom on Hyacine's face were swept away.
What remained was the warmth and brightness that had always been a part of her. The same impression the audience had when they first met the pink, haired girl.
And her answer thundered through everyone's hearts.
I am the descendant of nameless people? My ancestors were not heroes?
Good. I am the child of ordinary people, and I am proud of it!
Just as before, the children of humanity built the Eye of Twilight without relying on the Titans.
And just as now, Hyacine stood here because humanity's Flame Chase Journey had reached its end through the efforts of humanity alone.
After learning the truth of the sky, only one thought remained in her heart.
Respect for her humble ancestors. And pride in herself as one of humanity.
Yes. That is what we humans are like. In times of peace, we often forget the atrocities and evils born of human nature.
Yet when everything falls into absolute darkness and despair... We can still erupt with astonishing brilliance and unwavering resolve.
That is who we are!
Seliose's prejudice and stubbornness may have been born from the limitations and tragedies of her era.
But Hyacine's words pierced through the clouds like clear sunlight.
At that moment, Solabis and Lunabis gazed at the young girl's back, genuinely dazed.
Though she did not possess Seliose's bloodline... that confidence. That warmth.
They were astonishingly similar to the Daythunder Knight who had led them on their journey a thousand years ago.
More importantly, Hyacine was not so stubborn. She could accept humanity's ugliness, yet she also firmly believed in humanity's brilliance.
And besides... by her side was that chubby little fellow.
From Little Ika, the two winged beasts clearly sensed the presence of their own bloodline.
How could they be so alike? A thousand years ago, they had followed Seliose.
A thousand years later, another winged beast of the same bloodline now followed Hyacine.
No blood relation... Yet they were so similar.
It was almost as though fate itself was playing a joke on them.
"Well said, Hyacinthia!" Phainon and Stelle also stepped forward to stand beside Hyacine.
In a loud voice, Phainon declared, "Seliose, we have honored the promise made by that nameless Chrysos Heir and returned here. We also bring you the answer to your question."
"Mortals are capable of change... and humanity is worth saving!"
"Our people, forging through the trials of the end times, deserve a second chance, we are worthy of a new dawn!"
Having said that, he looked toward Hyacine.
Nothing more needed to be said.
Hyacine nodded firmly.
"Mm! Lady Solabis, Lord Lunabis!"
She called out to the two winged beasts. At that very moment, the two creatures lowered their heads and replied in exactly the same words, and with exactly the same tone, as they once had to Seliose:
"We are here, Hyacinth."
Gripping her staff tightly, Hyacine pleaded, "Give me your strength. I've made my decision, and we stand resolved."
"For all that mortals have built, I will follow the guidance of the prophecy and claim the Coreflame of the Sky Titan-"
"The children of humanity have returned from the earth, and we... will challenge the skies once again!"
Hearing those words, the two winged beasts suddenly felt the blood within their bodies grow scorching hot.
High above, perhaps because Seliose sensed that these Chrysos Heirs intended to challenge them, dark clouds gathered, thunder flashed, and lightning roared.
The entire platform began to tremble. A deep, solemn piece of music slowly rose in the background.
"This time, I will not be overwhelmed by the darkness of humanity."
"Face us, avatar of Sky!"
As Hyacine clenched her fist and shouted resolutely toward the skies, the two winged beasts spread their wings, transforming into twin streaks of light that shot straight toward the great eye in the sky.
Amid their proud cries, the two beams of light crashed directly into the pupil.
The eye instantly shut.
Just as it seemed about to disappear, a golden chain suddenly burst forth from the clouds.
Without the slightest hesitation, Phainon leaped into the air and seized the chain mid-flight.
The moment he landed,
His gaze swept across Hyacine, then Stelle, then Dan Heng.
Everyone had already drawn their weapons.
"Move!"