Chapter 384: Easter Egg
The series had reached its final moments, and right at the very end, there was one last bonus scene.
Not far away, at the bustling port crowded with people, Karl Robbins stood neatly dressed, carrying a suitcase at the mouth of a narrow alley. He gazed into the distance, where a group of Earth Ring professionals and military police were taking turns inspecting documents and verifying every passenger's identity. The steam train station in Darkland had already been sealed off—this port was his only remaining chance to escape.
Karl Robbins' eyes flickered. At last, he made up his mind. He set down the suitcase, opened it, and took out a sealed box. When he lifted the lid, inside lay a book with a black cover.
Picking up a pen, he scrawled a line across the first page: How do I leave Darkland?
For a while, the book was still. Then, one line after another of glowing text began to dance across the page.
Karl Robbins read each line carefully, his expression growing darker with every word. Yet despite his grim face, he finally accepted its proposed method with a hint of helpless resignation.
He placed the book back into the box, then put the box at the bottom of his suitcase. Setting the suitcase aside, he sat down on a nearby bench in a thinker's pose.
Moments later, a mature woman wearing a veil emerged from the alley. As she passed Karl Robbins, her legs suddenly gave out, and she collapsed to the ground.
After some time, the woman stirred again. She rose, reached out, picked up the suitcase lying next to the bench, and walked toward the port, soon facing a few Earth Ring professionals conducting questioning.
Calm and composed, she handed them her documents and presented her ticket to her destination. Every player watching could clearly see—the destination was Nathaniell City, capital of the Sepharic Kingdom.
After checking her ID and ticket, the Earth Ring professionals nodded and allowed her to pass. The woman, Josie West, successfully boarded the ship. She entered the cabin, her expression tranquil.
No one knew how much time had passed before a faint smile began to surface on her face.
The scene then cut back—Karl Robbins' body had remained motionless on the bench for a long time, his head drooping forward. Hours later, someone finally noticed something was wrong. They reached out to nudge him—only for his body to slump sideways.
Startled, the person hastily checked his breath with a trembling hand.
He was dead.
The shot shifted again—this time to a page from that same book, showing the section it had written earlier, complete with an in-scene translation:
Three minutes and fifty seconds later, Josie West—the wife of Vernon West, patriarch of the West family, and mother of the lawful heir Alan West—will attempt to flee Darkland and travel to Nathaniell City, capital of the Sepharic Kingdom.
However, due to long-term indulgence weakening her physical condition, and the intense psychological strain of the escape, Josie West will suffer sudden cardiac arrest at the alley entrance. At that precise moment, a sudden surge of life energy will occur there, unintentionally causing Karl Robbins and Josie West's bodies to switch. Karl Robbins will thus successfully leave Darkland.
The screen cut once more—to the solemn interior of Saint Raymond's Cathedral.
Holding an ornate scepter, Stuart Crow stood before an enormous mirror, his face respectful as he said, "Your Holiness, I've just had the True Sight footage from the battle delivered to the Grand Chapel."
Within the mirror appeared an elderly man wearing a crown, his eyes deep and penetrating. He nodded slightly. "Well done. The Goddess will bless you. You said Wayne Sturwell may be the earthly agent of some ancient deity—do you have any proof?"
"Yes," Stuart replied. "I investigated Wayne Sturwell's rise. He's long maintained ties with the Sunwatchers. According to Sherlock Moriarty, Wayne Sturwell's strength was unremarkable at first, yet within just a few months, he grew to his current level. There's also a mysterious faction backing him—supplying him with powerful firearms and miraculous Devil Fruits. This faction is likely a secret cult that worships that ancient god."
"Then it follows that Wayne Sturwell is most likely the divine agent of that ancient god—the embodiment of that god's will walking the mortal world. Only divine favor could explain his rapid growth. In the True Sight footage, the Creator God of Light, who ultimately slew Nyastora, should be that very ancient deity."
"As for the punch Wayne Sturwell used to kill the Dark Spider Mother, Matalita, I personally believe it was some form of divine descent. Such an attack—surpassing even the gods themselves—could not possibly be performed by any mortal."
The old man was silent for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Your reasoning is sound. A god bearing the title 'Creator God of Light' would never be obscure. From now on, be careful. Even if we can't bring him to our side, we must never let him stand against us. That, too, is the Goddess's will."
The screen faded completely to black. Episode 12 of the series had officially ended.
Those who had watched it all in one sitting had only one thought:
Brilliant. Spectacular. Packed with substance!
The entire two-hour episode had no dull moments; the pacing was tight, and the AI editor worked like a masterful film cutter, stitching together only the most riveting scenes, leaving not a single redundant frame.
Wayne Sturwell, the protagonist, had fully assumed the role of a savior—fighting gods for the first time, and even defeating them—crushing divine beings with overwhelming might. Each successive battle was pure intensity, surpassing every previous confrontation by countless degrees. It provided clear inspiration for all players: both marksmanship and fists must be strong!
Wayne Sturwell's dazzling performance in this major event completely shattered and redefined players' previous impressions of him, unquestionably placing him at the very top of the game's power rankings. Even if, as some NPCs suggested, those two punches were the result of divine descent—it was still part of his strength, wasn't it?
Meanwhile, posts about the Creator God of Light Horakhty were rapidly multiplying.
The well-known Wayne skeptic, Grantham, didn't continue his usual criticism this time. Instead, he made a discussion post analyzing Wayne Sturwell's true identity and his connection to the Creator God of Light Horakhty.
He quoted Wayne Sturwell's prayer during the summoning of Horakhty:
In the name of the King, the Three Phantom Gods unite as one. I summon the Creator God of Light, Horakhty! With the Three Phantom Gods as sacrifice, let darkness vanish!
Given the context, the "King" clearly referred to Wayne Sturwell himself. The ability to merge the Three Phantom Gods implied his own rank was on par with, or even above, theirs. Thus, Grantham proposed: could the protagonist be the reincarnation of some ancient king? That would also explain his bond with the ancient god Horakhty.
And the guild Wayne founded—the Starry Sky Guild—might in fact be the very secret organization Stuart Crow had mentioned.
Grantham's theory instantly clicked for countless players, sending imaginations racing and discussions exploding in popularity.
Zhou Ning: "…"
He hadn't even done anything, yet somehow the players' wild speculations had already run miles ahead. Still, the idea sparked inspiration—perhaps he could use this "Horakhty's divine agent" persona for some strategic purposes.
As for Karl Robbins in the film…
Zhou Ning had also noticed his destination—Nathaniell City, capital of the Sepharic Kingdom.
Whether by coincidence or fate, it happened to match one of his own next stops.
And so, his next destination was set—Nathaniell, the fabled City of Law on the Continent of Revelation.
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