The instant Evangelin and the members of the Scarlet Wings laid eyes upon the Creator's countenance, they froze, mouths agape, utterly unable to comprehend that the person before them was none other than... Nagi?!

Nagi was the Creator?

That was impossible; after all, it was Nagi who had personally defeated the Creator twenty years prior. There was no conceivable reason for them to be the same person. That left only one conclusion... Nagi had vanished ten years ago, with rumors even suggesting he was dead, but the truth was that his body had been taken over by the Creator!

They were all quick-witted individuals and immediately grasped this idea. Though it seemed absurd, there was no better explanation, and since the being was the Creator, it wasn't entirely beyond the realm of possibility.

Watching the Creator and Lin Luo stand facing each other, everyone felt immense pressure. Yet, no one made a sound, not because of the Creator’s might, but because of the atmosphere in the air. Despite their sudden appearance, Lin Luo and the Creator didn't spare them a glance, their gazes locked onto each other, swords drawn in an atmosphere as if frozen solid.

Both seemed grievously wounded. Lin Luo, while his face remained somewhat intact, was a wreck below the neck; his body was a mass of gore, with some wounds still bleeding profusely, making a truly terrifying sight. The Creator, while not as ravaged, was also covered in bloodstains, particularly around the sternum, the area of the heart, which seemed to have been scorched by fire, leaving a massive indentation.

The scene compelled everyone into silence, fearful that a single careless noise might invite irreparable consequences.

"How much now?" Lin Luo suddenly spoke, his eyes still fixed on the Creator, though the meaning of his words was lost on everyone else.

The Creator offered a faint smile, as if his injuries didn't exist, his tone utterly relaxed. "Five out of ten. Quite good, reaching this point has far exceeded my expectations."

"Five out of ten? Damn, it's only that little." Upon hearing this, Lin Luo smacked his head as if genuinely vexed, his tone laced with disappointment. "I thought I could achieve more. It seems I overestimated myself. Now I don't have any strength left at all. Ah, what a bother..."

The exchange left the assembled group utterly perplexed. This should have been a battle to the death, so why did neither speaker carry the intensity of a mortal conflict? Instead, it sounded like two friends discussing some matter.

"Five out of ten is already significant. Taken literally, you are nearly halfway there. Even I am only at nine out of ten currently. This successor is indeed quite interesting," the Creator chuckled.

Lin Luo shook his head. "No, no, still too far off. If I cannot surpass you, I cannot defeat you. That simply won't do for me."

"And what of it? Do you wish to continue fighting? I suggest a temporary truce for now. Heh heh, it seems a little fellow is tampering with my things."

"How could that be? I don't even have the strength to fight right now. A temporary truce suits me perfectly."

"Then three days from now, I will wait for you at the Guardian's Palace. By then, we shall draw a final line between our two eras." With that, without waiting for Lin Luo's reply, the Creator's figure vanished from the spot as if he had never been there at all.

After the Creator departed, Lin Luo collapsed instantly, like an emptied wineskin.

"Lin Luo!"

"Father!"

"Teacher!"

A chorus of exclamations erupted. Evangelin moved with lightning speed to support his body from behind, her face changing drastically. "Where is Holy Healing Spell?"

Lin Luo managed a wry smile, holding up a single finger. "Life force... less than a hundred."

"This is bad, if his body isn't treated quickly..." Al checked Lin Luo's condition, his expression darkening severely. He couldn't fathom what kind of attack Lin Luo had endured. All his internal organs were destroyed, and he was in a state of massive hemorrhage. It was almost unbelievable that a human could survive such injuries, let alone maintain composure for so long; he was a veritable monster!

"Al, hurry then..." Konoe Yomiru urged anxiously, but before she could finish, Al shook his head with a bitter smile. "Impossible. My magic was already depleted earlier. With the meager amount I have now, healing him is out of the question."

"Father..." Suigin Tou cried out in distress, her eyes brimming with tears. Even Mikoto stood momentarily paralyzed, her face pale and helpless.

Evangelin's expression immediately grew grim. Because she possessed immortality, she had never learned healing magic. Al was the only one present who knew the spells, but now his magic was spent... Although if Lin Luo's life force could be stabilized, the injuries themselves weren't insurmountable, but given his current state, who knew if he could hold on until then!

"Wait, Miss Kinomoto!" Satsuki suddenly exclaimed. "Miss Kinomoto has abundant magic power, and she knows healing spells too! If she could..."

Swish!

Before Satsuki could finish, Evangelin was already flying towards Neo Ostia, clutching Lin Luo's body. The others paused for a beat, then, without hesitation, they all sped toward Ostia at their fastest pace.

Evangelin quickly spotted Kinomoto on the battlements, looking anxious, and descended rapidly. Ignoring the strange stares of those around her, she grabbed Kinomoto's hand and shouted, "Kid, hurry up and use your healing magic!"

"Huh?" Kinomoto seemed startled, momentarily failing to react. But when she saw Lin Luo, covered in wounds and nearly unconscious, her face instantly turned ashen, and she became utterly panicked.

"Idiot! This isn't the time to be scared! If you know healing magic, start now! If you delay any longer, he might die!" Evangelin snapped, never before in her life having felt such urgency.

"I... I understand! I will do my very best!" Hearing her fierce words, Kinomoto jolted, and her panic subsided as she swiftly knelt down, placing both hands on Lin Luo's chest. Instantly, materialized magic, like flowing water, seeped from her palms, enveloping Lin Luo entirely.

It's fine. Just like when I practice. No fear, no panic. Calm my heart, relax, let my mind become still water, then control the flow of mana... I can do it! If it's me, I can definitely do it!

As Kinomoto treated Lin Luo, she silently encouraged herself, her face set with determination. In this moment, she was no longer the naturally dazed middle school girl, but an excellent healing mage.

Although Kinomoto hadn't studied healing magic for long, her talent was virtually unmatched. Coupled with her nearly limitless mana reserves, under her continuous ministrations, Lin Luo's wounds finally began to slowly mend at a visible rate.

Seeing this, Evangelin finally let out a heavy breath, the great stone in her heart having lifted. She could feel Lin Luo's life force gradually recovering; he had passed the most critical stage.

The others had arrived by this point as well. What Evangelin could perceive, they could too, and all let out sighs of relief. Konoe Yomiru looked upon her daughter's excellent performance and couldn't help but flash a look of proud relief.

About fifteen minutes later, Kinomoto finally withdrew her hands, a look of calm relief on her face. This healing session was the most mentally taxing and consumed the most magic she had ever experienced, but the result was also the best. Most of Lin Luo's injuries were healed, and the remaining, more severe ones were steadily recovering. With just a short rest, he would be fine soon.

Hearing her words, everyone finally relaxed completely. Konoe Yomiru gave the young woman a thumbs-up. "Kinomoto, you did wonderfully. Your father is proud of you."

"Thank you, Father," the girl replied, wiping away a stray tear with a smile.

"So, what do we do now?" Sakuya suddenly asked. Although the person was saved, she was uncertain about the next course of action.

"Let's go to the Time Chamber," Evangelin stated firmly. "The Creator shouldn't attack again anyway. All of us should enter the Time Chamber."

Since the Creator had agreed to resume the battle in three days, he likely wouldn't make any moves during this interval. They could use this opportunity to recuperate in the Time Chamber. After all, three days here would equate to over two months inside the Chamber. No matter how severe Lin Luo's injuries were, he could recover in time, perhaps even growing stronger.

No one objected to this arrangement. Although the mystery of the Creator and Nagi being the "same person" was something they desperately wanted to understand, this was clearly not the time for such discussions.

Subsequently, Al and the others stayed behind to handle some arrangements here, while Evangelin and the rest entered the Time Chamber first.

...

Lin Luo awoke three days later inside the Time Chamber. The moment he opened his eyes, he saw an incredibly ornate room, like a palace. He vaguely recalled that this was Evangelin's bedroom.

Sitting up, Lin Luo rubbed his still-aching head, recalling the events that transpired.

"I see. This time, I lost." Recalling the sequence of events, Lin Luo couldn't help but offer a bitter smile. In the prior battle with the Creator, he was completely at a disadvantage. Without deploying his Soul Power, there was virtually no chance he could have even wounded him. However, he wasn't disheartened by the defeat. Despite losing, he had... found the opportunity for victory.