On the last day of April each year, the seven crescent moons of the Norland continent hang high in the night sky simultaneously. It is said that this day is a moment that changes a person's fate for the year, hence it is also known as the Day of Fate.

  The Day of Fate is a holiday in many countries across the continent and a shared festival for numerous sub-intelligent tribes. Tribes centered around shamanistic rituals, such as gnolls, snakemen, and goblins, regard this day as the most important. Strangely, races living year-round in subterranean caves, like troglodytes, or underwater dwellers like fishmen and naga, also attach great importance to the Day of Fate, even though some of these races might not see the moon even once a year.

  Legend holds that on the Day of Fate, the gods incline their ears to the voices of their followers, send down emissaries, or even descend in avatars to walk the world and listen to the wishes of the faithful. The devout will be rewarded, while the faithless gain nothing. However, those powerhouses who have traversed the planes know full well that legends are merely legends.

  But on the Day of Fate this year, the destinies of many people were indeed altered.

  In a brilliant campaign of assault, breakthrough, and counter-encirclement, the Construct Knights under Elyse finally appeared on the battlefield, engaging in a decisive frontal clash with the Construct Knights of the Neo and Solam families. Twenty against eighteen, the combined Solam and Neo forces still held an advantage, albeit slight. Yet the outcome of the decisive battle was that Elyse, at the cost of five Construct Knights, annihilated the allied Construct Knight squadron!

  This battle decided the course of the war. With her Construct Knights spearheading the charge like an incomparably sharp awl, Viscountess Elyse brutally pierced the allied lines, tearing a gash in the defense forged of steel torrents. The wound rapidly deepened and widened, ultimately leading to the complete collapse of the entire battlefront. In this engagement, the allies suffered thousands captured and lost nearly a thousand heavy cavalry of various types. Solam officially announced its withdrawal from the war, while Neo's peace envoy was dispatched swiftly just as the battle concluded.

  Ancient rules govern conflicts between military nobles; the outcome of the peace talks had essentially been determined by the preceding battle. Marquis Neo would lose up to a third of his territory in exchange for ten years of peace. Elyse, in turn, would possess all the land lost by the defeated party. This bountiful harvest of war spoils would grant her enough legal territory that, pending the decree of the Holy Alliance Emperor, her title would become Countess Elyse.

  The war between Construct Knights secured the victory, but people undoubtedly talked more about the triumph achieved despite the disparity in forces. For some time to come, people would speculate about the identity of the mysterious Construct Master behind Elyse; at the very least, his skill level should far surpass that of Saint Kruse, who had been famous for decades.

  On the southwestern front of the Holy Alliance, Elyse would remain a central topic for a long time. But on the scale of the entire continent, more people were discussing Gordon—Gordon Akmond. Gordon chose the noon of the Day of Fate to formally enter the capital of the Holy Alliance, the continent's City of Miracles, Faust.

  The road to Faust has always been paved with steel and blood. Numerous powers obstruct entry, both overtly and covertly; some great families even resort to blatant, direct assassination attempts. This is a tradition of the Holy Alliance, a rule set by the first Emperor. Families incapable of breaking through blockades and ambushes are simply unqualified to establish a foothold in Faust. And during a family's process of entering Faust, attacks on their territories are considered legitimate.

  For centuries, behind the glory of every family successfully entering Faust lay a path stained red with roses and blood. Yet people tend to remember only the successful, forgetting the far greater number of families who vanished completely along this road.

  Gordon's decision drew the attention of the entire continent, partly because while the Akmond family as a whole might qualify to challenge Faust, the Akmonds had never been united. As patriarch, Gordon represented only himself. Moreover, Gordon had risen too quickly; in the eyes of established nobility, he severely lacked foundation. Foundation wasn't an empty word; quite the contrary, it meant secret private planes, mountains of wealth, scores of Construct Knights, well-equipped armies, and the talented personnel capable of supporting expansion. The sum of all this was called foundation. Foundation required time; it was accumulated year after year.

  This is why upstarts rise quickly and fall just as fast. Undoubtedly, Gordon Akmond was an upstart, and a particularly foolish one at that.

  The path to Faust was not smooth for Gordon Akmond. Yet, unlike previously successful families who mobilized vast armies from various planes to break through the blockade with full force, he did the exact opposite. He ordered all forces, including those on his home plane, to remain stationed, guarding strictly against other families taking advantage of the situation. He didn't even use his authority as patriarch to demand coordination from other members of the Akmond family.

  When Gordon Akmond embarked on his journey, he had only his thirteen Construct Knights beside him.

  At noon on the Day of Fate, Gordon Akmond appeared precisely on time before the gates of Faust. The entire Holy Alliance was shaken.

  This marked the first time the Akmond family had set foot in Faust, signifying that from this day forward, Akmond officially became one of the most illustrious families on the continent.

  And the Day of Fate was also a special day for Richard. Because at eleven o'clock that night, he was summoned for an audience with the Legendary Mage. He instinctively felt this would be a very special meeting.

  Night slowly descended upon the vast Floe Bay. On this special night, Deepblue was already lit.

  Hazy, smoke-like blue magical radiance constantly spilled from the intricate patterns on the magnificent tower's body, rising upwards. Viewed from afar, it looked like a gorgeous, mystical tower of blue crystal standing at the end of Floe Bay. The open ground around Deepblue blazed with thousands of bonfires. Looking down from the upper levels of the magic tower, they resembled scattered stars in the night sky. People, seemingly oblivious to the biting spring chill, gathered around the bonfires, singing joyfully, dancing freely, drinking strong liquor heartily, and admiring the grand spectacle of Deepblue illuminated, an event occurring only once a year.

  Most of them were residents of the fringe districts. Deepblue was the sanctuary they relied on for survival, and also their spiritual pillar. For every day this magic tower stood tall in the north, their pride grew a fraction thicker.

  But on this night of revelry, the upper levels of Deepblue were long silent. The Archmages had witnessed far grander celebrations and were long unmoved. For them, the vast world of magic was already inexhaustible to explore; they no longer needed the anesthesia and solace found in the frenzy of festivals and celebrations.

  The appointed time arrived.

  Before Richard, massive magic puppets pushed open two gates cast of heavy steel, revealing a spiraling staircase behind them.

  The gates, still conforming to the aesthetic sensibilities of Deepblue's upper levels, were toweringly high. The heavy steel surfaces bore no special treatment, exposing a deep red ochre color and lines of weathering, filled with a primal beauty that inevitably reminded one of the metal's origin—the desolate landscapes deep within the Wasteland of Ruin and Despair.

  The stairs, layer upon layer, were exquisitely detailed, radiating a faint glow. At first glance, the glow seemed unremarkable, but staring intently would immediately cause dizziness and confusion, making it impossible to discern the stairs' original material. Every sculpture on the handrails was a masterpiece of art, appearing even more captivating under the soft light. The height of the staircase made Richard dizzy; this was already the uppermost region of Deepblue. Further up lay Helen Su's truly private domain, a forbidden zone inaccessible even to Archmages.

  Was the Legendary Mage summoning him to her private quarters?

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  Richard calmed his thoughts and ascended the stairs. At the top, a small door, almost entirely hollowed out by sculptures of various forms, opened on its own. Behind it stood two dark elf maidens. Seeing the legendary vicious race from the underground world appear suddenly before him, Richard was greatly startled, almost unleashing an instant-cast spell. But he immediately recalled this was the Legendary Mage's private domain; enemies couldn't possibly appear. It seemed the two dark elf maidens were her privately kept subordinates.

  The two dark elf maidens clearly recognized Richard. One gestured invitingly and said, "Mr. Richard, please follow me." With that, she led the way, while the other closed the small door behind them.

  Watching the light, silent steps of the dark elf maiden ahead, Richard suddenly broke out in fine beads of sweat. Naya had taught him to observe others' movements. The maiden's every step was as precise as a pendulum, equal to her shoulder width, not a fraction more or less. She touched the ground only with the tips of her toes each time, yet displayed immense power between strides. While this gait possessed a rhythmic quality and a dance-like beauty, in Richard's eyes, it was extremely dangerous. It indicated the maiden possessed terrifying martial skills; if she suddenly attacked, Richard, with his current abilities, would be utterly defenseless.

  The maiden led Richard into an incredibly vast space. If Helen Su's thousand-meter reception hall simulated the artistic conception of landscapes, then this enormous space, nearly ten thousand square meters, imitated the natural environments of various planes. There was a lava world, a freezing polar ice field, arid deserts, damp and muddy swamps, and even a dragon's nest!

  Different terrains were separated by magic barriers, preventing interference. And each environment wasn't static or dead. Through the varying hues—purple, blue, green, etc.—of the different elemental magic barriers, one could see dark shapes flickering. Fleeting glimpses barely allowed identification of strange creatures, the kind only found in comprehensive bestiaries, moving about.

  After traversing this area and ascending another flight of stairs, another door appeared before Richard. This large door was made of stone. Apart from its smoothly polished surface, there was nothing particularly odd about it. The maiden gently touched the door, and the stone portal slid open silently. The dark elf maiden refused to take another step forward, instead gesturing for Richard to enter on his own.

  At the end of the long, deep corridor lay a dreamlike place.

  Countless Ice Abyss crystals were embedded like scattered stars across the walls and vaulted ceiling, emitting blue light of varying shades, bathing everything in the room in a layer of dreamlike blue. The floor was smooth as a mirror, made of some unknown stone material. Stepping on it felt not icy cold, but rather warm and very comfortable. Standing here, the floor reflected a vast starry sky as well. In a daze, Richard felt as if he were standing at the center of the planar system, gazing out at an endless sea of stars.

  In the distance was a floor-to-ceiling window spanning an entire wall. The first panoramic view outside was the Everwinter Mountains under the night sky. Majestic and towering, the Everwinter Mountains resembled ancient titans, vast, imposing, and solemn, lying quietly, merely witnessing the changes in the continent's history without participating.

  Before the ten-meter-high window stood a slender figure. In this dreamlike space, she was actually quite inconspicuous, so Richard hadn't seen her at first. But once his gaze fell upon her, he was naturally drawn, unable to look away.

  It was the Legendary Mage, Planar Conqueror, Dragonslayer, and Demon Ender—Helen Su.

  Such a space, such a time, such a woman—combined, they created a strange illusion in Richard, as if he were in a dream, or had entered someone else's memory. His body and mind filled with weary, as if he had fought across planes for ten thousand years, or perhaps wandered for even longer.

  "Master, you summoned me?" Richard suppressed the strange emotions, stepped forward, and offered his greeting.

  The Legendary Mage slowly turned, gazing at him. "Richard, you are already a man, and you have demonstrated your talent and abilities." At this moment, Helen Su's expression and temperament were vastly different from usual, more like a gentle, dignified woman than a naive little girl. She paused slightly before asking, "So, are you willing to inherit my knowledge and walk further down the path of the Construct Master?"

  Richard's heart leaped violently. He bowed deeply and said, "I am extremely willing!"

  Helen Su smiled gently. "You know, all gains come at a price. And up until now, all the costs have actually been paid by your father, Gordon Akmond. But I imagine this isn't a situation you desire. However, I can now offer you an opportunity, a chance to use yourself as the price in exchange for great power. Are you willing?"

  Richard didn't answer immediately. Helen Su spoke lightly, but he pondered deeply: what did he possess that could compare to his father's support? Even if Richard hadn't known initially what the yield of a plane over ten Norland years meant, he fully understood now. Even selling his entire life, how could it possibly match such enormous backing? Richard was intelligent, and his innate wisdom combined with his studies in Deepblue allowed him to maintain a clear perception of his own value. Currently, ten Richards combined weren't worth the cost of cultivating a single Construct Master. As for the future... in the future, if he were to achieve Gordon's level of success today, besides maintaining his current relentless effort, he would also need considerable luck. As a certain Archmage had said, luck has always been an important part of strength, perhaps even the most important part.

  Cruel, but that was reality.

  Everyone has a price. No matter how staunchly one believes they cannot be measured in gold coins, they still have a price. And since everyone's price is actually set by others, it invariably deviates from their own psychological valuation—usually by a huge margin. Therefore, unable to ascertain the heights he might reach in the future, Richard couldn't make promises.

  Carefully considering the Legendary Mage's words, Richard realized that Helen Su held... a preference for him.

  This made him hesitate further, because Richard knew he already owed her far, far too much. If he desired even more without considering whether he could repay, that wasn't Elani's style. The pride belonging to the Silver Moon Elves, Elani had passed it all down to Richard. Yet, the reason he couldn't immediately refuse was the raging fire always hidden deep within his heart!

  If he refused Helen Su's help, Richard didn't know where else he could obtain sufficient resources in the future to become strong enough to fulfill his mother's dying wish. His father was a vast shadow, and it was still expanding.

  The choice was agonizingly difficult.

  Helen Su walked up to Richard, reached out, and gently touched his face, making him lift his head.

  This was their first skin contact. The Legendary Mage's hand was exquisitely fine, icy smooth, enough to make one tremble. He suddenly realized that standing face-to-face like this, they were actually the same height. Demons were much taller than humans, and Silver Moon Elves were also a head taller than ordinary people. The two bloodlines Richard inherited from his parents, along with his childhood years spent in the mountains, made him taller than his peers. The breadfruit Elani constantly fed Richard during his first ten years was actually a key ingredient in an ancient Silver Moon Elf recipe. And for the special meals provided over the past year in Deepblue, Helen Su had spared no expense. So, imperceptibly, Richard had already become indistinguishable from an ordinary human youth.

  At such close proximity, Richard saw the Legendary Mage's face was incredibly soft. This encouragement finally gave him the courage to speak his mind.

  "Master, I... I simply have nothing comparable to your cultivation. As for the future, the future is distant. Who can say what will happen even three years from now?"

  Helen Su smiled gently, the flowing radiance in her eyes outshining even the room's magical glow. "So that's what you were worried about. Stubborn little fellow, exactly like your mother."

  This time, Richard was truly astonished. "You knew my mother?"

  "Met her twice. We were quite good friends. Elani was a respectable person, and your personality is identical to hers, so it reminds me of her. She and your father... never mind, that's all in the past, let's not talk about it. I just wanted to tell you, your current worries, I can actually guess a little." The Legendary Mage's voice was calm and gentle, yet it easily shattered the deepest ice within Richard's heart, forcing him to lower his head so she wouldn't see the few inappropriate drops welling in the corners of his eyes.

  "I am willing to give you this chance, partly because of Elani, and partly because I want to give myself a little hope again, to try and achieve a dream I thought completely impossible. Not long ago, I was close to utter despair, but your appearance gave me a sliver of hope once more. So you don't need to consider what specifically you can offer. As long as you have the determination to give everything for it, that is enough."

  Richard hesitated no longer. "I am willing! And for as long as I live, I will for you..."

  His words were covered by Helen Su's small hand. She smiled joyfully. "No need for the rest. The first three words are enough."

  "Alright, little Richard, now it's time to show you a true Rune Construct."

  Helen Su retreated a few steps as if gliding on water. Then, without any casting gestures or incantations, her entire body seemed to lose weight, slowly ascending into the air, stopping when her toes were a meter off the ground. She spread her arms gracefully like a swan, her magic robe and all her clothes instantly dissolving into myriad streams of light, weaving and dancing around her in the air.

  Richard was frozen on the spot, never having imagined such a dreamlike, beautiful body would appear before him, completely unveiled.

  The Legendary Mage's body surpassed the limits of imagination in its perfection.

  Before Richard could recover from his shock, lines of watery blue began to appear on her skin. In the blink of an eye, like living flower branches, they grew and spread across her entire body, then suddenly flashed brilliantly, emitting a hazy, net-like blue radiance.

  Richard's mind, already blank, was filled anew by the resplendent blue. His thoughts froze, unable to flow further. Words and ideas could no longer describe this beauty.

  Helen Su's voice drifted ethereally, as if from beyond the heavens: "Do you see? This is my Rune Construct: Deepblue Aria. It is not yet complete. I once thought perhaps I would never have the chance to finish it in this lifetime. Now, I am willing to give myself a little more hope. Richard! If it becomes possible in the future, complete it for me!"