Chapter 20

As I looked around the room, still tied up and trying to calm my nerves, the door slowly creaked open. Familiar footsteps followed as Noah entered once again. He strolled in casually, picked up some documents from the desk, and began flipping through them leisurely.

“Even when you’re awake, your gaze is sharp,” he said with a chuckle. “Still holding onto your pride as the Saintess, huh?”

I clenched my teeth and glared at him. “Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because I’m tied up.”

Noah ignored my words, spinning the document in one hand. “Hmm… Saintess? No, no, soon you won’t be a Saintess anymore. Just an ordinary… insignificant human.”

His words sent a shiver through my body. “What… what are you planning?”

Noah placed the document back on the desk and tapped the table with his fingers. “It’s simple. I’m going to erase the concepts of the Hero and the Saintess—and even the system of ‘faith’ that makes them possible. I’ll completely wipe the existence of ‘Heroes’ and ‘Saintesses’ from everyone’s memories.”

“What?” I shouted, stunned. “Do you really think that’s possible?”

Noah nodded and stepped closer to me. “Of course. The preparations are already done. Through a worldwide perception-altering spell, I’ll manipulate everyone’s memories. And once that happens, no one will be able to become a ‘Hero’ or ‘Saintess’ anymore. The foundation of faith itself will disappear.”

I struggled against my restraints and yelled, “What do you even gain from this? Why are you doing this?!”

Noah tilted his head and smiled. “What do I gain? Well… simply put, I’m freeing this world from the shackles of imbalance. Don’t you think it’s wrong for people to suffer and be sacrificed in the name of Heroes and Saintesses, while others are left in pain?”

“So you think you can just erase the rules of this world as you please?” I couldn’t contain my anger.

“As I please?” Noah sneered. “You don’t seem to understand. I’m merely executing what needs to be done. If Heroes and Saintesses disappear, everything will become more equal. The so-called ‘divine selection’ was a lie from the start.”

He spread his palm, and a magic circle appeared in the air. It was intricate, covered in countless ancient runes and symbols. “This is the ‘World Memory Alteration Spell’ I’ve prepared. Once activated, everyone will forget the concepts of ‘Heroes’ and ‘Saintesses,’ and no one will ever become one again.”

I glared at him and shouted, “Do you even realize how horrifying this is? What kind of future are you guaranteeing with this?”

Noah smiled. “The future? I’m breaking the rules of this world to create a new beginning. And you, Saintess, will be the first witness to the new world I’m creating.”

He raised his hand, and the magic circle glowed brighter. “Shall we begin?”

…

As he swung his hand down, the magic circle filled the room with a blinding light. The light shot upward, piercing through the ceiling and walls, spreading into the cosmos.

The energy radiating from the magic circle spun violently, as if it would consume everything in this world. The ground shook, and the air trembled. The light mixed with dark energy, creating a fierce vortex, and ancient chants echoed endlessly from the center of the circle.

“This is… insane…” I muttered, overwhelmed by the sight.

The light from the magic circle grew even more intense, but it wasn’t just physical light. It was a force that burrowed into people’s consciousness, memories, and faith, erasing everything. I twisted my body, trying to break free, but the restraints only tightened.

“Now everyone will forget,” Noah said with a smile. “Heroes, Saintesses, even your holy power… it’s all over now.”

…

But after the spell was activated, something unexpected happened. As the light from the magic circle faded, Noah nodded in satisfaction. But soon, his expression twisted.

“What’s this…?” Noah muttered, stepping closer to me. He looked at the faint glow emanating from my body with a puzzled expression. “This is… Holy Power? Why… is it still there?”

I panted heavily and looked at him. “Seems like… your plan wasn’t perfect after all.”

Noah frowned and examined the magic circle again. “This shouldn’t be happening… The concepts of Heroes and Saintesses should’ve been erased from everyone’s memories. So why hasn’t your power disappeared?”

He took a step back, his face filled with confusion. “Ah… it’s because of the past.”

He then smirked and approached me. “The reason your power remains is that the concept of the Saintess is older than the Hero—no, it’s a belief that’s rooted deeper. Long before people believed in Heroes, the Saintess was revered as a sacred being. In this world, Heroes can disappear easily, but the Saintess isn’t something that can be erased so simply.”

I gasped for breath and asked, “So… your plan failed?”

Noah shook his head, his expression now resolute. “No, this is just the beginning. If I can’t erase the current faith…”

“If not, then just go back to the time before that belief was formed and fix everything, right?”

“Huh?” I was shocked by his words. “Do you really think… that’s possible?”

Noah raised his palm and reactivated the remnants of the magic circle. “Of course it’s possible. According to my research, magic that allows one to travel through time and space already exists in this world. It’s now my job to fully understand and execute that technique.”

He then lifted an orb and smiled faintly. “But you won’t be around to see it. When the past is rewritten, you’ll already be a forgotten existence.”

With those words, Noah flashed the orb and created a massive magic circle. The shimmering light at the center of the circle enveloped him like it was swallowing him whole, and soon, he was no longer there.

“Noah!” I struggled and shouted, but he was already gone. The room fell silent, and I collapsed, losing consciousness.

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When I opened my eyes, a familiar voice reached me.

“Ellie! Wake up, are you okay?”

I slowly turned my head to see Claire sitting beside me, looking at me with worried eyes. Zion, Linda, Luan, the spirit, and Selena were also there.

“Claire…” I murmured her name softly, trying to sit up. But my body felt heavy, and my head still hurt.

“Move slowly,” Zion said, supporting me as he approached. “What happened? You suddenly collapsed… and the magic circle disappeared…”

I took a deep breath and said, “Noah… he… he’s trying to go back to the past. He said he wants to return to a time before the concept of the Saintess existed and erase everything.”

Hearing that, everyone’s expressions hardened.

“The past…” Zion muttered under his breath. “Do you really think that’s possible?”

Selena nodded upon hearing his words. “It’s possible. This ruin was built precisely for that purpose.”

“What do you mean?” Claire asked, looking surprised. “This ruin… has that kind of function?”

Selena calmly began to explain. “This ruin is a place created by the first Hero, Ellie, and me. At the time, we engraved powerful magic here. It was designed so that when a future crisis arises, one could return to the past and fix it.”

“So this ruin is a device to travel to the past?” Luan asked cautiously.

“Exactly. It’s similar to the reverse concept of teleportation,” Selena nodded. “Instead of moving away from the present, it allows one to travel back in time. But…”

“But?” I held my breath, waiting for her to continue.

“This device can only be used by two people,” Selena said gravely. “And no one can guarantee the future that the users will face inside. The chosen two must protect each other and complete the mission at all costs.”

Claire took my hand and said, “Then I’ll go with you. I can’t let you go alone.”

I looked at her and nodded. “Alright. Let’s go together.”

“Zion, Linda, Luan, stay here and support us,” I asked them. “Investigate any traces Noah left behind or other clues here.”

Zion nodded firmly. “Understood.”

Selena quietly walked to the center of the ruin. She stood at the center of the magic circle, raised her hand, and began to activate the magic. Light started to fill the room.

She looked at me and said, “Ellie… when you go to the past, you’ll meet me. And trust me. And…” She paused for a moment, then smiled faintly.

“I… loved you.”

The light from the magic circle grew increasingly intense, enveloping me and Claire. The brightness made it impossible to see anything, and I felt like my body was floating in the air.

Then, everything fell silent.

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When I opened my eyes, I was standing on a red earth. The sky was dyed crimson, and around me were massive walls and ruins.

Claire, panting beside me, asked, “Is this… the past?”

I slowly stood up and looked around. Then, from a distance, someone’s voice reached us.

“Who are you! This is no place to enter recklessly!”

The voice was firm and intense. Instinctively, I turned my head toward it. In the distance, a man in a black cloak was walking toward us. His gaze felt like it was piercing through me.

‘Are you a Demon Beast???’