She Has Always Been Protecting You (4K Remastered)

The so-called growth.

Is an exceedingly broad and profound concept.

At times slow.

At times swift.

Tethered to time, it becomes a skiff upon an eternal river, spinning lightly as it passes recurring whirlpools of turbulence.

At first, one feels panic-stricken, drenched by the surging waters of time.

But as emotions settle,

One learns to turn a blind eye to those swirling eddies.

Even to handle them with calm composure.

At that moment, growth is already complete.

The transformation is so silent that even the person undergoing it scarcely notices their own evolution.

"Servia, is there anything left to settle? This departure is final—there will be no returning hereafter."

"Nothing remains, Lord Wizard."

Leaving the hillside behind,

On the journey back to the Tower of Salvation,

Servia shook her head slightly. She had already visited the estate, mourned her parents, and imprinted the landscapes of the Clawphire Territory upon her heart.

There was truly nothing left to attend to.

Yet then,

Xu Xi spoke words the Hero never expected.

"But I recall you had one more friend."

"Eh…?"

A friend?

The Hero froze.

The wind swept past, lifting strands of her platinum-blonde hair, revealing emerald eyes that flickered first with startled confusion, then widened in disbelief.

"H-how do you still remember that?!"

Suddenly, Servia regretted her restored health.

Her hands flew to her cheeks,

Desperately trying to hide the burning flush of embarrassment.

Ahhh…

Servia Clawphire was dead.

Dead from sheer mortification.

The scene was almost comical, stripping away all solemnity of farewell, leaving no room for melancholy.

Such sorrow was too heavy.

Unsuited for a Hero.

"Let us go, Servia," Xu Xi said, guiding the flustered Hero by the hand. Halfway, he glanced back at the two gravestones atop the hill.

The inscriptions were worn nearly illegible,

Faded beyond recognition.

As the Hero departed, fragments crumbled from the edges, as if weathered instantly into finest dust,

Carried by the wind to some unknown beyond.

...

[You accompanied Servia to her homeland for a final farewell]

[Through countless days and nights]

[Through memories the Hero had cherished and longed for]

[Lost family, childhood recollections, familiar lands… With you by her side, she bid farewell to each, leaving the past behind to step toward tomorrow]

[The Hero was so resilient]

[Even without your comfort, she could endure it all in silence]

[Yet you chose to speak, diluting that quiet grief]

...

[Upon returning to the Tower of Salvation]

[Sensing the urgency of time, you accelerated your hunt for the undead]

[None could miss your haste]

[You cast Fourth-Circle Sorcery: Storm of Thunderflame]

[You cast Fourth-Circle Sorcery: Swamp of the Drowning Earth]

[You cast Fourth-Circle Sorcery: Summoned Comet]

[Your power was unmatched]

[In the current world of wizards, you stood unquestionably as the strongest. With the Tower of Salvation and Servia’s aid, your collection of soulflames was staggering]

[They became the foundation of your progress]

[Ceaselessly nourishing your soul]

[Once more, the laws of fortune smiled upon you—you glimpsed the dawn of breaking through to the Fifth-Circle Wizard]

Facing death

Was not so hard to accept.

The waiting, however, was far more agonizing than death itself.

To secure Servia’s safe departure, to protect those within the tower, Xu Xi became an unrelenting machine, laboring for even the slimmest chance of survival.

The pressure was suffocating,

A stranglehold on fate’s throat.

Yet,

In the 52nd year of the simulation, at age 69, Xu Xi’s strength ascended anew.

This good news softened, if only slightly, the weight of impending doom.

"The condition for advancing to Fifth-Circle Wizard is to condense and unify one’s path of sorcery."

"All knowledge."

"All experience."

"To break free from the constraints of the original world and forge a worldview of one’s own."

"In simpler terms, it means walking your own path."

"This principle appears, in some form, across most supernatural systems—though none articulate it as obscurely as the wizard’s path, which pierces straight to the abstruse core."

At the summit of the Tower of Salvation,

Within Xu Xi’s private sanctum,

He flicked his sleeve gently. Serene soulforce ignited the void, birthing clusters of dull gray mist-flowers.

Then,

The blossoms dispersed into smoke, reforming into other shapes—

All the disciplines Xu Xi had mastered in his long journey:

Potions, artifacts, elements, transmutation, curses, bloodlines, summoning…

At a glance,

The tides of his soul surged, conjuring myriad visions.

Xu Xi’s task was clear:

To select the domain most aligned with his essence, the cornerstone of his Fifth-Circle worldview.

"None of these truly resonate," Xu Xi murmured, gripping his staff. With a shake, he scattered the spectral manifestations.

Once, in a world of magic,

He had ascended as a pseudo-omnipotent Elemental Archmage, surpassing even the gods.

But in this simulation, without the "Elemental Affinity" trait, pursuing that path would yield no brilliance.

"In truth, my Fifth-Circle path was decided the moment this simulation began."

"The Interweaving of Life and Death, and the Soul Reaper."

"A fusion of life, death, and soul—three supreme domains."

Again, the soul tides rose,

Their murmuring waves gathering Xu Xi’s knowledge and his observations of existence.

The intangible took form,

Materializing around him—

Shifting, colliding, embodying the mysteries of reincarnation and the enigma of souls.

Each crash, each surge, birthed new waves.

Waves so solid they paved Xu Xi’s road forward.

"In a way, I owe gratitude to this dying wizard world…"

"For one who wields the Interweaving of Life and Death, confronting a world’s end is a shortcut to rapid growth."

"My life has been a walk on thin ice…"

"Yet now, the Fifth-Circle realm is mine!"

Condensation. Compression. Expansion.

Stretching into the infinite depths of his soul.

Xu Xi’s path of sorcery was born—a vessel for his truth and wisdom, now untethered from the world.

Crack!

Crack! Crack!

An indescribable pressure shattered objects within the sanctum.

Space itself fractured like splintering glass,

Webbed with countless fissures.

"As expected, compared to the Fourth-Circle, a Fifth-Circle Wizard’s influence over space is markedly stronger."

"This drastically improves our odds of escaping this dying world."

Xu Xi pressed a palm downward.

The frenzied space stilled,

Silent once more.

With his ascension complete, the sanctum returned to its usual quiet.

Pushing open the door, Xu Xi had no intention of resting. In these fleeting hours, he would further enhance the tower’s capabilities.

"Lord Wizard?"

The half-opened door seemed to bump into something.

From the consuming darkness, a figure seated against the wall scrambled upright.

The night was oppressively thick,

Swallowing all sound.

Like a light and vast curtain, darkness enveloped the entire world, devoid of light.

When the warrior rose from the ground, Xu Xi finally noticed her presence.

Joy.

Happiness.

Upon seeing Xu Xi emerge.

The warrior's face revealed an expression that was all too easy to understand.

"Servia, why are you here?" Xu Xi reached out, steadying the warrior as he spoke in confusion.

This breakthrough in ascension.

Xu Xi hadn’t asked the girl to stand guard at the door.

Instead, he had cast a flesh-regeneration spell, granting her leave to enjoy the last moments of peace before departing this world.

But Servia seemed to think otherwise.

Her sun-like platinum hair was hidden in the absolute darkness, leaving only her emerald eyes illuminated by the light at the entrance.

"Wizard Xu Xi, I am ensuring your safety," Servia replied.

She hadn’t removed her armor or changed into a dress to rest elsewhere in the tower.

Instead, she remained clad in steel, sword in hand.

Seated vigilantly outside the training chamber.

Guarding against any potential disturbances.

"......"

"Didn’t I tell you to do something you wanted?"

Xu Xi began walking toward the tower’s central core.

Servia followed closely by his side, never leaving his shadow.

She was quiet.

Her steps carried a silent elegance.

Yet she was also vigilant.

Her gaze constantly scanned the surroundings, ready to draw her sword at any moment to protect Xu Xi.

"Wizard Xu Xi, I did follow your orders."

"For me, ensuring your safety is the most important thing."

"Because..."

"I am your knight."

Her soft voice echoed through the silent corridor.

This answer.

Xu Xi had heard it once before.

Eighteen years ago, when he had first mastered the flesh-regeneration spell.

Xu Xi had wanted the restored warrior to pursue something more meaningful, but Servia had spent every precious hour by his side.

Just like today.

Unchanged.

Xu Xi paused, gazing at the simulated moonlight on the right side of the corridor.

The glow was faint but pure, casting a stark contrast of light and shadow along the passage.

Xu Xi walked in the dark.

Servia walked in the light.

Her golden hair shimmered under the pale radiance.

"Servia, you know... there are many things you could do besides protecting me," Xu Xi said softly.

"But I am a knight who belongs only to you."

A knight’s kindness could be shared with many.

But a knight’s loyalty belonged to one alone.

This was a privilege.

A privilege reserved solely for Xu Xi.

In this desolate, lonely world, only Xu Xi had extended a hand to the warrior, spoken to her, and given warmth to her once skeletal, lifeless form.

Servia didn’t know how to express those feelings.

She only knew.

She wanted to help Xu Xi.

To protect Xu Xi.

To share more time with Xu Xi.

"Wizard Xu Xi, I..."

Under the moonlight.

The girl’s expression flickered with unease. "Am I... troubling you?"

It was true—Xu Xi wished for the warrior to have a brighter, more independent future.

But faced with that anxious gaze.

He couldn’t bring himself to voice any criticism. "No, having such a beautiful guardian knight like you makes me happy."

"B-Beautiful?!"

The night concealed nearly all color.

But it couldn’t hide the flush on the girl’s cheeks.

Watching Servia fumble in embarrassment, Xu Xi couldn’t help but wonder—was this warrior too innocent?

Perhaps he’d need to be more careful with his words around her from now on.

No.

There was no "from now on."

Xu Xi summoned the simulator panel, his eyes fixed on the flickering "Soul Collector" title, lost in a plan known only to him.

......

[You have successfully advanced to Fifth-Circle Wizard]

[Converge the past, forge your path, and establish your own worldview]

[Even in the wizarding world of a thousand years ago]

[You could become a Great Wizard recorded in the Tome of Arcane Artifacts—your name etched into history, past and future]

[Yet in this era of impending doom, only those within the Tower of Salvation know of this triumph]

......

[You have set the date for interdimensional travel]

[And informed everyone in the tower]

[This is a grand escape—a desperate struggle for survival]

[The people tremble in fear, yet they also thank you, for without you, they would have no chance at all]

[Standing atop the tower, you gaze upon its ever-expanding form, grown over decades]

[At the mutated necrotic mushrooms and altered sandthorn fruits you cultivated]

[And feel the fleeting passage of time]

[Once, you awoke in a mass grave, obsessed only with the study of death]

[Now, you are the savior in their eyes—the one who leads them to tomorrow]

[You smile faintly]

[Thinking the title "That Great One" sounds a bit odd]

"You should rest now."

A week before the interdimensional journey.

Servia brought him a cup of hot tea, her eyes filled with concern.

To ensure a smooth transition.

Xu Xi had spent the remaining days inspecting every inch of the wizard tower.

The workload was immense—beyond mortal comprehension. Even a Fifth-Circle Wizard couldn’t complete it swiftly.

"It’s fine, Servia. I’m in good condition."

Xu Xi responded with a smile to ease her worries.

But the exhaustion in his eyes.

Was impossible to hide.

......

[The appointed day arrives—you prepare to leave the wizarding world]

The wizarding world remained as lifeless as ever.

Black sun and blood moon.

Undead and wraiths.

Aside from its gradual convergence with the Endless Netherworld, nothing had changed.

But Xu Xi knew—this stillness was a lie. By the time true change came, it would be too late.

"Servia, is everyone ready?"

"Yes!"

With her confirmation, Xu Xi hesitated no longer. He activated the Tower of Salvation in full.

Soulfire Reactor—engaged.

Levitation Array—engaged.

Propulsion Array—engaged.

Dimensional Anchor—engaged.

Arcane Offensive-Defensive Platform—engaged.

With Xu Xi, the Fifth-Circle Wizard, at its core, immense soul energy surged through space, sending ripples of distortion across reality.

Crack—

Crack—

An unimaginable sight unfolded.

The colossal floating wizard tower, vast as a mountain and blotting out the sky, blazed with radiant azure soulfire—so intense it burned through the barriers of space, shattering them one after another.

"That Great One is exerting his power!"

"That Great One truly is the most magnificent deity!"

Inside the tower, the people watched in awe and terror, bearing witness to this miracle.

The Tower of Salvation had begun its departure from the wizarding world.