To become a god, one had to be unique.
There had never once been two identical gods within the same world.
And over the course of countless years, Kanzaki Rei had gradually come to understand that if one wished to ascend using a specific divine throne—
then that godhood had to be vacant.
But he had never expected that if multiple separate spacetimes existed—
then ascension to godhood in another spacetime would also affect the divine thrones across all timelines.
And by the same logic—
reaching Level 9 worked similarly.
The difference was that, theoretically speaking, two Level 9 class-holders of the same class could exist simultaneously.
"So because uniqueness exists, different spacetimes inevitably influence one another."
"Even if the people involved have no intention of interfering."
Originally, Kanzaki Rei had assumed it was because certain overwhelmingly powerful existences possessed enough strength to distort spacetime itself, and that was why additional timelines were forbidden.
He had never imagined that the true reason was uniqueness.
Once understood that way, everything became simple.
If, in another spacetime, another Altimia became a god first—
then in this spacetime, Altimia would never become a god.
She would simply grow old and die naturally.
She would never participate in the Moon Sovereign struggle this coming May.
And the impact on the direction of the entire world would undoubtedly be enormous.
If such a situation were allowed to continue unchecked, and there truly existed billions upon billions of timelines, then the probability of ascension would likely become so infinitesimally small that it could practically be ignored.
Perhaps an entire world might not produce even a single god.
Though he still did not fully understand all the consequences this would create—
one thing was beyond question.
The conditions required for ascension would become unimaginably difficult.
"So you sealed time inside this place?"
"And the time outside is still functioning normally."
The ivory-haired girl nodded lightly.
"Yes. Outside, there is currently only a single timeline."
Kanzaki Rei asked again:
"Then why did you allow us to enter?"
She had suddenly permitted them into this space.
Surely it was not merely for them to look around.
When asked that question—
the girl bit her lip.
Then uncertainly, she asked:
"Do you think I can leave this place?"
"I don't want to remain here anymore."
Kanzaki Rei looked at her.
There truly was a restriction placed upon her.
A restriction preventing her from leaving this place.
And he was the only person capable of breaking it.
The moment those words left her mouth, multiple faint and ghostly silhouettes split off around her.
Each one bore her exact appearance.
And every one of them was staring at her.
"You can't do this. I shouldn't leave. My sins have not yet been atoned for."
"Remaining here is supposed to be my duty. It has always been that way. I already gave up any hope of ever leaving."
"Why… why is it me who has to remain here? The one who committed those acts should be the one suffering this pain! The version from the primary timeline should bear this burden! Why me?"
One thought after another erupted around Kanzaki Rei.
And every Aehkator possessed different thoughts entirely.
Across the endless passage of time, those who had once originated from the same source had gradually developed completely different personalities.
"You want to leave? What would happen if you did?" Kanzaki Rei asked.
Aehkator hesitated briefly before finally speaking the truth.
"It would bring one timeline out with me."
Iz narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Only one?"
"Each version of me corresponds to a separate timeline."
From her explanation, one conclusion became obvious.
It would be best not to let her leave.
Forget thousands upon thousands of timelines—
even a single additional timeline would drastically impact the primary world.
And seeing Kanzaki Rei fall silent—
she instead smiled faintly and asked in return:
"You have a way to do it, don't you?"
However, Kanzaki Rei did not immediately deny it.
Instead, he asked:
"Do you have a method to leave?"
Aehkator shook her head.
"No."
"But if you help me… then perhaps it's possible."
The instant she spoke those words—
Kanzaki Rei and the others also sensed a faint hostility spreading through the air.
It was hostility emanating from the Aehkators of the other timelines.
Not every Aehkator wanted to leave.
In fact, from the looks of it, the majority wished to remain here guarding this place.
And their figures gradually became clearer.
As though they were about to descend into this timeline itself.
Kanzaki Rei frowned.
"Why should we do that?"
Aehkator clenched her teeth.
"Because I am Aehkator—the one who understands time better than anyone else in this world…"
"If you want to return to your proper timeline, then take me with you."
After saying that, her tone softened slightly.
"Please… take me away with you. I can help you."
Silence filled the space.
BOOM!
Before Kanzaki Rei could respond at all, a violent sound of shattered time erupted beside them!
It sounded as though a mirror had been smashed apart.
A being identical in appearance to the girl before them stepped through fractured time and materialized!
The instant she appeared, she immediately raised her hand and launched an attack toward Kanzaki Rei.
"You should understand that she has a duty to remain here."
「Eighth-Tier Time Magic: Temporal Misalignment」
Tap—
Yet before the spell could fully activate—
Izparut raised his hand as well.
"Now things are getting interesting."
"An Eighth-Tier time spell… now this is something fascinating."
"So this is primordial, pure-origin time magic?"
Tap—
The spell's effects weakened instantly.
The magic formation manifested within Aehkator's hand was dismantled into countless smaller runic fragments in a single moment.
Bzzzz—
At the same time, the Aehkator who wanted Kanzaki Rei to take her away also raised her hand.
Instantly, the surrounding flow of time descended into chaos.
"If you refuse to take me away, then even if you reach the end of time itself, you still won't easily return to your proper spacetime."
Crack! Crack!
Two more crisp shattering sounds rang out.
On both sides of them, more and more figures gradually emerged.
The Aehkator who wished to be taken away suddenly snapped her fingers.
Snap—
In that instant, time itself completely froze.
"If you want to take me away, then break the restriction on my body! Then we can leave together!"
If Kanzaki Rei failed to make a decision soon, then he likely truly would lose the chance to take her away.
He could already sense it.
More and more Aehkators from other timelines were approaching this timeline.
And there was no telling how many of them Iz could hold off.
The Aehkator who had once pierced through infinite timelines had been Level 9.
But because of the law of uniqueness—
every Aehkator present here was forcibly restricted to Level 8.
Yet these Level 8s were fundamentally different from ordinary Level 8 existences.
BOOM!
Suddenly, Kanzaki Rei felt time itself shatter as the frozen state of time was forcibly broken apart.
A cold and piercing gaze locked onto him.
Within that near-motionless instant, she appeared directly before Kanzaki Rei.
Her palm gently pressed against his abdomen.
"You cannot take her away."
"Return."