The Dead-End Agreement—known as Horizon Dawn's first peace agreement — was often regarded as the exemplar historic document of the Empire. Historian agreed the document and its legislative influence catalyzed the beginning of handicapping Central Palace’s authoritative power, increasing distrust and decoupling of Grandy family’s influence, cumulating in an apprenticeship of the Grandy Princess under Horizon Dawn’s Knight of Calamity and the Dollmaker of Sol.

Orwell signed his signature on three hard copies, and thus the peace agreement worth a thousand words came into effect. While the negotiation ballooned the deal more than the prior agreement, the core massage of ceasefire and mitigating ramification still stood.

…

Throughout Venistalis, the Amalgam stopped their invasion.

Terrified couples, citizens and injured elders watched in fear and wonder as the demonic army reassembled orderly and marched away. Some tried throwing stones at the retreating Amalgam and accomplished nothing.

The Adventurer guild watched slack-jaws as the war-machine and blood golem dropped a noble half-elf down and walked out the front gate. They fought tooth and nail to get inside the building with every adventurer fighting a suicide mission to fend off the killing machine. No one expected the Monsters to retreat without a fuss.

Similar event happening throughout the city as the Amalgam removed themselves from the strategic location without harming the losing defenders.

Orwell followed the contractual demand to withdraw his army in duration of the peace-agreement.

…

Orwell threw a notebook at Chronicler, who caught in mid-air and tossed it at Andries.

“As stipulate on the contract, I withdrew my troops for 100 hours,” Orwell told him. “Now, I hope you stick to yours.”

Andries grasped that notebook for dear life.

“Find your way to Earth-quarter,” Rem told the nobles. “We will end this in five days. Defeat or Victory. Survival of Death. This conflict’s last curve is around the corner. So, survive, survive to see the eldritch moon fall and the Dawn rise. Avoid the city center. It is where we and Orwell will crash. Chronicler cut the…”

“Wait!”

It was Kruger.

“What deal do you make with Wayward?”

“You deserve to know,” Rem admitted. “But I couldn’t risk telling anyone in that uniform.”

Kruger clutched his Royal-mages gears.

“Explain yourself.”

“Kruger, do you think Wayward is the only mole inside the Grand Empire? If you see one roach, assume thirty more hid in the woodwork. We call it sins of organization with employees in double-digit. I know Wayward more than anyone, and trust me, this information worries him enough to force him to wash his hand from Venistalis. If it leaks, the consequence will be unimaginable for the entire Phantasia.”

“I won’t tell anyone!”

“Not even when your little Princess came to ask you in daddy’s stead? Not even under torture or truth serum? Human have limits. The only preventative measures guarantee to work is avoid piling the sensitive information under microscopes manned by courts with more kangaroos that Australia’s outback.”

Orwell blinked. He didn’t understand this euphemism.

“But this operate under assumption you operate as a royal-mages,” Rem spoke. “It is one road of the future. Chronicler cut the feed and regroup in Wind-quarter. I need one more major announcement.”

…

“Miss Ace.”

Melody already flew back to the Wind-quarter, leaving Luxinna and Andries for a goodbye.

“Are you certain you can beat Orwell?”

“Not at all,” the elf replied. “I believe Samadi have a plan, but to be honest, the fight ahead will be brutal.”

“So why are you doing this?”

Andries wanted to ask that question.

“You fight Orwell without asking for reward. You even used your own body to shield a complete stranger. Why do you go that far?”

After a period of silence, Luxinna answered.

“Because as a kid, nobody went that far when I was abandoned. This world allows so many stupid compromises, it is sickening,” Luxinna recalled the carnage in Millian. “No excuse justifies condemning an innocent little girl to cry alone in the forest. No hero arrives to save me, so I swear to be that knight I never got.”

Luxinna gazed at the dark sky.

“Righting every wrong is beyond me, but I refuse to see anyone cry without a shoulder to lean on.”

Andries stared, stunned at the simple answer.

“Just that reason?”

“Yes. It is a simple reason, but it is all I need,” Luxinna smiled at the girl, creating a construct around her body. “Evacuate. Reach a safer area with the time Samadi bought. Don’t worry. Everything will be over next week.”

And the elf launched herself off with a speed of lightning.

…

In the Wind-quarter, Rem did one more monumental task with Madam's help.

“Everything is up, kiddo,” Zenith Lochwain gestured at the technician on the support desk. “We crack into the city’s announcement system. Now, do your thing.”

…

Throughout the city, from the Adventurer guild at the blink of collapse to families hiding under tables and parks converted into a makeshift refugee camp, a voice echoed.

“To citizen of Venistalis, I will not mince any word. What you about to hear is the complete and utter truth. The garrison force, the royal-mages, and the royal-knights have been decimated. The barrier surrounding the capital separates us from any reinforcement by the Grand Empire. This disaster is the product of Orwell Mehest the 33 Stars. With 3 million death-tolls, many of whom you have the misfortune to witness, and over 100,000 of Amalgams in Mehest’s army laying waste to the capital. I will not give an illusion of confidence. The battle ahead will be brutal.”

The citizen responded predictably panic and fear spread through the rank. Then Rem dropped another truth bomb. 

“It will be easier to lie to you. I know some of you are panicking. Hell, some already start looting. My advisors told me to soften the blow and concocted a narrative that you can dismiss. But you aren’t sheeps exist as workforce with stat to satisfy. You all — from elderly, to child, to men fighting tooth and nail for their families — are living people. Your life has value and lying to your face will disrespect everything I believe in.”

Rem let his massage sank in.

“Now that you know the score — fully recognize the precarious situation starring at you in the face — I have a single question. Will you surrender? Will you kneel or fight to the bitter end? True defeat happens when you refuse to keep fighting. I, for one, won’t die quietly and I have faith that many shares such spirit. To those who refuses to betray the flames of hope, I have good news. Orwell is weakened from our clashes and agreed to a temporary ceasefire. The cease-fire will last exactly a 99 hours and 5 minutes from this briefing. Use this period to rest and prepare. Get others to safety and if you have a spirit and ability to fight, come to Wind-quarters within the deadline of 85 hours to join the counter-attack task-force. Win or lose. Death or Survival. This conflict will end the grudge of the Deathless Clan. This isn’t a battle of glory nor honor. It is the battle of progress against stagnation. A fight between citizens who wants to live and an avenger who can’t move on.”

Rem finished his closing statement.

“I am a stranger to this land. But where I come from, we teach children good always win. It will be a dark 100 hours, but as long 1% chance exists, hope still burn. The sun will dawn again. I can’t promise a victory, but I vow I won’t flee while Orwell massacred million more. For the believer, it is an honor fighting alongside my fellow brothers and sisters. For the doubter, wait and witness the rise of dawn. This is Dream. This won’t be the last you will hear from me.”

Rem dropped the call.

…

“Who is that guy? How did he access the network?”

“He is just a hack!” One random adventurer said. 

“We should continue fortify ourselves in the guild,” one adventurer declared.

“But what if he…”

“Who cares?” A receptionist yelled. “That is a rambling of a madman. To think a 33 Stars commits such atrocity right after Tai Hua’s invasion. What is happening to Phantasia?”

“It is over!” A random man screamed on the street. “The enemy ranged in 100,000! How can we hope to win!?”

…

“I told you they will panic,” the Madam read the report with heighten stress.

“And you expect me to lie to the people I need to protect,” Rem argued. “How do you expect them to improve their life when you still treat them like manipulatable idiots? Sure, some would panic. But better allow panicking now than the moment we face Orwell’s full might. A measure of integrity is truest under stress. If I lie to a city to prevent mass panic, what stops me from bullshitting to the world. This is a test of integrity and I can’t afford failure.”

“Not everyone is strong enough to accept the truth.”

“I disagree. Not everyone yet found the strength to confront the truth. You aren’t doing them a favor by wrapping them in foams.”

Rem turned his attention to the problem at hand. His three comrades gathered on the rooftop next to Cytortia’s comatose body. They bought a hundred hours. Now, success or failures depend on them. Rem might act like he wielded the pinnacle of faith, but realities of zero volunteers and crushing disappointment remained a lump in his throat.

Time to continue their training without Scathach supervision.

“So, how do we break Orwell defense,” Melody flinched as Cytortia’s [Tir Na Soal] finished repairing her shoulder.

“We break the crystal and bring back to our level,” Rem gazed into the distance. “Don’t expect for that to happen easily. Orwell got two crystal left and he won’t risk getting the World Enemy’s attention by jamming the third one in the Leyline. He is a type who studied from previous failing, expecting the dragon to cheese the carnage is a forlorn hope.”

“Okay, depression aside,” Luxinna rose. “What is the plan?”

“Lux, I want a dome of glass covering this roof. Madam Marmel, prepared to receive any gift if we got any recruit. I left a note about further instruction. For now, I want 72 hours to prepare with my comrades.”

…

“We got 100 hours,” Rem narrated. “The plan is to get more time. Hikma links everyone's mind with [Mentalism] and we are using Arcane from Time Palace Tragedy.”

“Wait, you want that? Do you realise how impractical that is?”

“Yes, a powerful time-manipulation Arcane is downright impossible with our paygrade. But we aren’t doing it in the real world. Pulling this off required a team effort for all of us. Hikma and I will link our minds with [Mentalism]. Here is the plan.”

Rem streamed the information to his collaborator’s minds.

“Oh, my lord,” Luxinna’s jaw dropped. “Is this even possible?”

“Who cares?” Melody jittered with excitement. “Fuck Balperia. Those old fart will never dream this big.”

…

Horizon Dawn went to work on their grand project. It was a series of combo Arcane’s fest.

Hikma De Darwin + Melody Solarmaria

Combination: [Anima Enchanting] + [Time Shift]

The [Conceptual Seal] for time appeared on the glass dome, augmenting the area with temporal effect.

Luxinna Latoria + Remus Breaker + Melody Solarmaria + Hikma De Darwin

Combination: [Anima Enchanting] + [Serene Glass] + [Overdrive] + [Mentalism] + [Body augmentation]

A circular circuit of glass materialized beneath the five, connecting their minds.

And with it, the last combination began.

Hikma De Darwin + Remus Breaker + Cytortia Tianshang

Combination: [Dream-realm] + [Mental Navigation] + [Tir Na Soal]

It was a magical combination that created the impossible. Each participant collapsed in heaps as glass cocoons enveloped them in a capsule of golden glass.

[Horizon Dawn: Miracle of Temporal Genesis.]

…

Horizon Dawn woke up inside a garden world with a familiar faces greeting them.

“So, we succeed,” Cytortia proclaimed as her friend got up one-by-one. “Tai Hua would snap if she found out what you just accomplish.”

“What is a temporal ratio?” Rem voiced.

“Stack me and Luxinna together and we got around 1:450,” Hikma nursed his head. “Sorry guys, that is my limit.”

“Impressive, we extend 72 hours to 3.7 years,” Melody stretched and did a quick calculation. “And we even synced our body’s development with our mind to boot.”

Rem’s plan shouldn’t work anywhere else. [Anima Enchanting], [Tir Na Soal], [Conceptual Seal], [Serene Glass], [Mental Navigation] — miracle would be impossible without the bond between the five. This singular creation proved power of friendships might than any super-mode.

Using the ideal material — [Serene Glass] — as a base, Horizon Dawn enchanted the concept of time-control into the material at the existential-level with [Anima Enchanting]. The process created the ultimate time-manipulating hall, but that alone wasn’t enough to circumvent the space-time continuum. However, it was possible to alter the spell to function in a dream using [Mentalism]. Further uses of [Overdrive] stacked with [Time Shift] expanded its scale. As a finishing grace, Rem also suggested using an Arcane to link the body’s development with their mental selves using Arcane.

It was the ultimate bullshit technique than turn 72 hours to 4 years. The user trained inside their dream as their body grew to fit their muscle growth. It was a technique dismissed by Phantasia as a pipe dream, since mental manipulation on oneself was a relatively unconventional technique. Even then, the mental scarring from using such accelerant rendered this technique impossible except for suicide unit.

But one True Magic annihilated that impossibility: [Tir Na Soal]

It was the barrier that restored everything to their prime conceptual state. [Tir Na Soal] rendered all cerebal scarring negligible and achieved biological impossibility of supplying the body with nutrient using recycled body-waste and energy from the universe. 

Time would tell how Nu Wa and the Heavenly Daughters reacted once they learned the useless bum’s True Magic was an enabler of various world-breaking shenanigans. Cytortia wasn’t a pacifist because of weakness, but because she contained such unfair support potential, the universe nerfed her offense to zero. With the accomplishment of facilitating an impossible training magic at the tender age of 16, Cytortia Tianshang earned her right to brag she traded her [Divine Core] and quit the 33 Stars to give the junior gods an actual fighting chance.

…

Orwell didn’t realize he lost the battle-potential contest. No, he stood alone in his headquarter, preparing against the opponent who would soon eclipse his base strength in few hours. He gazed on a hulking body behind a black crystal. Behind him was an ice-block that was  biologically growing automatically. He glanced at the backboard behind him, detailing a blueprint of a humongous reptilian lords of human creation.

Orwell smirked. With unlimited resource on his side, the battle’s result was inevitable. No method existed for four broke hero and a useless goddess in a garage to exceed his tailor-made counter for them with scrap metals.

Orwell tried to calm down. Samadi was resourceful. He would likely send the elf or the demoness to handle him. Orwell needed a further propped his preparation against those two monsters.

That was Orwell Mehest’s believes at the night of his supposed victory. Future Orwell often reminiscent this day, wishing he discovered time-travel to rewind back to this moment to hit his younger-self in the head. It was embarrassing to see himself answered every question wrong.

Yes, Orwell’s preparation was good, but on the scale of threat-level, Chronicler of Arcane ranked above Knight of Glass and Dragon of Creation. Only three individuals reached his legendary flexibility in light-show flinging contest — Reality Breaker, Wolf of Snowcastle, and Embrace of Heaven.

Given that the Wolf was still in her egotistical youth, Embrace still drowned in her one-woman crusade and Reality nerfed to the floor, no being — not even the gods — boasted greater magical potential than the Chronicler at this date.

Orwell resumed his tinkering, not perceiving the desperate duel approaching his door.